Do non-majors learn genetics differently or at a different rate than majors? 

How do these groups of students think about and learn genetics?

Jenny KnightUniversity of Colorado, Boulder

Biology Scholars Program Research ResidencySummer 2008

What I know and what prompted my interest:

Non-majors and majors begin and finish genetics courses with similar misconceptions .

Majors achieve a higher score on the Genetics Assessment Tool (pre-post test) and have a higher learning gain overall, but the difference compared to non-majors is surprisingly small.

Questions:

1. Do non-majors repair misconceptions in genetics at a different rate than majors?  

2. How do non-majors and majors think about and process these difficult topics in genetics ?

Non majors pre: 34% post: 70% normalized gain: 54%Majors pre: 40% post: 78% normalized gain: 63%

Performance on The Genetics Assessment Tool (GAT) gives us an idea of where students start and end in understanding genetics

Example of a question from the GAT21. Suppose there are two genes on two different chromosomes, one gene called G and the other called D. An individual has the genotype GgDd. Which of the following drawings correctly shows cells in this individual after DNA replication but before cell division of the first meiosis? Assume no recombination/crossing-over occurs between the chromosomes.

G G

a) b)

g

D Dd d

a) b)

d)c)

g

G g

D d

G g g

D d D d

G

G g

D d

G G

D D

g g

d d

Example: student performance for two learning goals

  Learning Goal 2: Describe the molecular anatomy of genes and genomes.  

Learning Goal 3: Describe the mechanisms by which an organism’s genome is passed on to the next generation.  

There is a progression of learning (misconception shedding) over the semester for all students

Average performance (%) on different measures of the same learning goal across the semester.

LG 2: pre/post- 4 questions, Quiz- 1 question, Exam – 7 questions

LG 3: pre/post-5 questions, Quiz-4 questions, Exam-5 questions

Evidence and Design

1. Rate of repairing misconceptions:

We will characterize the progress students make towards understanding particular topics at 4 different times during the semester:

1. Administer the multiple choice GAT on the first day of class in both courses (PRE TEST) 2. Administer shared short multiple choice quiz after we address each topic already identified

as a misconception are (WHAT THEY KNOW IMMEDIATELY AFTER INSTRUCTION)3. Administer shared multiple choice exam questions at each of 3 midterm exams (WHAT THEY

KNOW AFTER STUDYING)4. Administer the multiple choice GAT as part of the final exam in both courses (POST TEST)

 

:

2. How do students think about and learn difficult genetics concepts?

For this question, my goal is to characterize the following:1. PROCESS: How students approach problems;

where they get stuck, and what they do when they get stuck (what resources do they use). Also, what changes between the first time they try to solve a hard problem and how they solve the hard problem near the end of the semester?

2. TIME: how much time do students spend studying and how often do they study.

3. PERCEPTION: do they think genetics is difficult; do they think solving problems or doing activities is helpful

Evaluation tools: surveys, think aloud and focus interviewsPROCESS: Think aloud/Focus group interviews • Students will be asked to do a series of two interviews, each of the same format, one near the beginning

of the semester, and one near the end of the semester.

• In the interview, students will be videotaped while working through a challenging problem (on a misconception topic), thinking aloud and working together to solve the problem. The videotape will be immediately played back to them, and the interviewer will then ask them to reflect on the process of solving the problem. (I still need to develop the questions the interviewer will ask).

PERCEPTION: Attitude Assessment (Bio CLASS): • attitudes towards biology (expert vs. novice), administered pre and post.

TIME and PERCEPTION: Possible survey questions (end of semester):I spend __ hours per week reviewing material or studyingI review the material we are learning in class: several times a week, once a week, only right before the examOnce I’ve taken the exam, I do/don’t go back to review that material again before the next exam/final. I find genetics easy medium difficultThe in-class activities help me learn the topic more/less/same as lectures on these topicsThe in-class activities help me learn the topic more/less/same as working through the homework

Genetics Learning Goals (for reference) 1. Analyze phenotypic data and deduce patterns of inheritance from family histories. 2. Describe the molecular anatomy of genes and genomes. 3. Describe the mechanisms by which an organism’s genome is passed on to the next

generation. 4. Describe the phenomenon of linkage and how it affects assortment of alleles during

meiosis. 5. Extract information about genes, alleles, and gene functions by analyzing the progeny

from genetic crosses. 6. Describe the processes that can affect the frequency of phenotypes in a population

over time. 7. Compare different types of mutations and describe how each can affect genes and the

corresponding mRNAs and proteins. 8 Apply the results of molecular genetic studies in model organisms to understanding

aspects of human genetics and genetic diseases. 9. Interpret results from molecular analyses to determine the inheritance patterns and

identities of human genes that can mutate to cause disease.