MICRO-MACRO-SYMBOLIC INSTRUCTION TO ADDRESS STUDENTS’ CONCEPTUAL CHALLENGES IN GENETICS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to first, identify year 1 International Baccalaureate (IB) students’ misconceptions in genetics, and then investigate the effect of instruction that integrates the macro, micro, and symbolic representations and ontological aspects on addressing the identified misconceptions. The study aimed to answer the following research questions in particular: (1) What misconceptions do year 1 Diploma Program (DP1) students have regarding genetics? (2) What is the influence of a modified multiple level representation type of instruction that integrates the ontological aspect on the understanding and learning of the students? Twenty-three students from one class section in an American school in Kuwait participated in the study. The study used a qualitative design in the form of a case study. Participating students were chosen based on who consented to be part of the study from the DP1 class. The instruction lasted throughout the genetics unit which was around five weeks. The researcher was the teacher of the section that participated in this study. The instruction was centered on an ontological macro-micro-symbolic teaching approach that (1) focused on the interplay between the macroscopic, the microscopic, and the symbolic levels, (2) integrated the ontological aspects of concepts. Data sources for the study included a Genetics Literacy Assessment Items (GLAI) Test, a two-tier questionnaire, an extended response question (ERQ) and interviews to identify students’ misconceptions, and two more consecutive GLAI tests, another two-tier questionnaire, 3 consecutive ERQs, and 3 consecutive interviews to evaluate the change of students’ conceptual understanding of genetics. Pretest results indicated that students exhibited difficulties related to the transitions between particularly the macro and the micro levels and the ontology of genes. The consecutive tests showed that the students maintained these difficulties. This was largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic that happened when the study was being implemented and which impacted the duration of the study and the engagement of the students. However, the results of the study provide insight on implications for instruction in general and online instruction more specifically, curriculum development, and teacher education programs as well as recommendations for further research.