Analiso nesta dissertação as representações sobre o ciclo de vida das plantas de onze coleções de livros didáticos de ciências aprovados pelo Programa Nacional de Livros Didático (PNLD) referente ao ano de 2011 para, em um segundo momento, focar nas mensagens visivas das representações de cada uma das divisões de plantas briófitas, pteridófitas, gimnospermas e angiospermas. As mensagens visivas permitir-me-iam caracterizar as transformações ocorridas tanto na forma de representar o ciclo quanto nas linguagens utilizadas nas estruturas representacionais que, na maioria das vezes, não condizem com os títulos empregados para nomeá-las. Lançando mão dos pressupostos da tríade pierciana (ícone-objeto-símbolo) a análise semiótica empreendida forneceu-me subsídios para, em uma terceira etapa da pesquisa, coletar desenhos junto aos sujeitos da pesquisa no que tange ao ciclo de vida das plantas, cujos ícones apresentaram os indícios que caracterizam o objeto, ou seja, o ciclo de vida das plantas - encerrado em simbologias com significados que reverberam em contextos históricos específicos, como uma lei própria das estruturas iconográficas. Nos ciclos de vida das plantas essas simbologias se encerram no círculo, envolvendo a vida das plantas como algo ininterrupto, isto é, a planta germina, cresce, desenvolve-se, reproduz e volta a germinar. Baseada nas premissas piercianas constatei que embora as imagens no ensino de ciências sejam de fundamental importância, elas interferem sobremaneira na aprendizagem dos fenômenos naturais, modificando percepções entre os ícones e o objeto real, fato este evidenciado quando comparei as representações imagéticas dos sujeitos desta pesquisa com as representações dos livros didáticos de ciências nos quais não há indícios da finalização do ciclo vital das plantas: a representação da senescência e da morte das plantas. / The object of this essay is the analysis of the representations about vegetables life cycle included in eleven science didactic books approved by PNLD related to the year of 2011. The intention is to focus on the visual messages delivered by the representations of each one of the vegetables division bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms. Those visual messages would allow me to identify the changes occurred both in the way to represent the cycle as well the language used to perform it. Most of the time these representations do not match with the titles used to designate them. In light of the pierciana triad (icon-object-symbol) the semiotics analysis used during the third phase of this study provided me subsidies to collect drawings from the research subjects regarding the vegetable life cycle. Such icons showed evidences that the feature of the object (vegetables life cycle) is enclosed in symbols linked to specific historic contexts like a particular law applied in iconographic structures. These symbols used to show the vegetables life cycle like something uninterrupted. In other words, the vegetables would germinate, grow, develop, breed and back to germinate in an endless cycle. Even though images are fundamental in the science teaching process I was able to conclude (Based on the PIERCIANAS premises) that the images may induce relevant misunderstandings between Icons and real objects. The perception of the natural phenomenon may be strongly corrupted. The evidences of this statement became crystal clear when I compared the image representations of the subjects of this research with the images of the science didactic books that dont clearly show the end of the life cycle of the vegetables: A senescence representation of the vegetables death.

Analiso nesta dissertação as representações sobre o ciclo de vida das plantas de onze coleções de livros didáticos de ciências aprovados pelo Programa Nacional de Livros Didático (PNLD) referente ao ano de 2011 para, em um segundo momento, focar nas mensagens visivas das representações de cada uma das divisões de plantas briófitas, pteridófitas, gimnospermas e angiospermas. As mensagens visivas permitir-me-iam caracterizar as transformações ocorridas tanto na forma de representar o ciclo quanto nas linguagens utilizadas nas estruturas representacionais que, na maioria das vezes, não condizem com os títulos empregados para nomeá-las. Lançando mão dos pressupostos da tríade pierciana (ícone-objeto-símbolo) a análise semiótica empreendida forneceu-me subsídios para, em uma terceira etapa da pesquisa, coletar desenhos junto aos sujeitos da pesquisa no que tange ao ciclo de vida das plantas, cujos ícones apresentaram os indícios que caracterizam o objeto, ou seja, o ciclo de vida das plantas - encerrado em simbologias com significados que reverberam em contextos históricos específicos, como uma lei própria das estruturas iconográficas. Nos ciclos de vida das plantas essas simbologias se encerram no círculo, envolvendo a vida das plantas como algo ininterrupto, isto é, a planta germina, cresce, desenvolve-se, reproduz e volta a germinar. Baseada nas premissas piercianas constatei que embora as imagens no ensino de ciências sejam de fundamental importância, elas interferem sobremaneira na aprendizagem dos fenômenos naturais, modificando percepções entre os ícones e o objeto real, fato este evidenciado quando comparei as representações imagéticas dos sujeitos desta pesquisa com as representações dos livros didáticos de ciências nos quais não há indícios da finalização do ciclo vital das plantas: a representação da senescência e da morte das plantas. / The object of this essay is the analysis of the representations about vegetables life cycle included in eleven science didactic books approved by PNLD related to the year of 2011. The intention is to focus on the visual messages delivered by the representations of each one of the vegetables division bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms. Those visual messages would allow me to identify the changes occurred both in the way to represent the cycle as well the language used to perform it. Most of the time these representations do not match with the titles used to designate them. In light of the pierciana triad (icon-object-symbol) the semiotics analysis used during the third phase of this study provided me subsidies to collect drawings from the research subjects regarding the vegetable life cycle. Such icons showed evidences that the feature of the object (vegetables life cycle) is enclosed in symbols linked to specific historic contexts like a particular law applied in iconographic structures. These symbols used to show the vegetables life cycle like something uninterrupted. In other words, the vegetables would germinate, grow, develop, breed and back to germinate in an endless cycle. Even though images are fundamental in the science teaching process I was able to conclude (Based on the PIERCIANAS premises) that the images may induce relevant misunderstandings between Icons and real objects. The perception of the natural phenomenon may be strongly corrupted. The evidences of this statement became crystal clear when I compared the image representations of the subjects of this research with the images of the science didactic books that dont clearly show the end of the life cycle of the vegetables: A senescence representation of the vegetables death.

This study documented the changes in understanding a class of eighth grade high school-level biology students experienced through a biology unit introducing genetics. Learning profiles for 55 students were created using concept maps and interviews as qualitative and quantitative instruments. The study provides additional support to the theory of learning progressions called for by experts in the field. The students' learning profiles were assessed to determine the alignment with a researcher-developed learning profile. The researcher-developed learning profile incorporated the learning progressions published in the Next Generation Science Standards, as well as current research in learning progressions for 5-10th grade students studying genetics. Students were found to obtain understanding of the content in a manner that was nonlinear, even circuitous. This opposes the prevailing interpretation of learning progressions, that knowledge is ascertained in escalating levels of complexity. Learning progressions have implications in teaching sequence, assessment, education research, and policy. Tracking student understanding of other populations of students would augment the body of research and enhance generalizability.

Writing-to-learn strategies have been administered in the past to enrich student learning. The purpose of this study was to see if K-W-L prompts in science journal writing could benefit student content knowledge within biology. Two high school biology classes were provided with learning journals. The journals given to the students during the treatment unit were provided with K-W-L question prompts to guide student learning while during the comparison unit students were given an open ended writing assignment. Pre and posttests were administered to determine student-learning gains. Student motivations and opinions of the treatment were collected through student interviews. The combined results were used to determine to what extent could K-W-L prompts in science journal writing influence comprehension of content knowledge. This study found there to be no difference in student learning gains when utilizing the K-W-L literacy strategy versus another free-writing activity. When scored, student K-W-Ls total scores did correlate to student success on unit tests. This opens up the potential for K-W-Ls to serve as an adequate tool for formative assessment. Here the K-W-L could be expanded to enrich student question asking, potentially aid students learning English, and potentially be used by students without teacher scaffolding.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Scientific external representations (ERs), such as diagrams, images, pictures, graphs and animations are considered to be powerful teaching and learning tools, because they assist learners in constructing mental models of phenomena, which allows for the comprehension and integration of scientific concepts. Sometimes, however, students experience difficulties with the interpretation of ERs, which· has a negative effect on their learning of science, . . including biochemistry. Unfortunately, many educators are not aware of such student difficulties and make the wrong assumption that what they, as experts, consider to be an educationally sound ER will necessarily promote sound. learning and understanding among novices. On the contrary, research has shown that learners who engage in the molecular biosciences can experience considerable problems interpreting, visualising, reasoning and learning with ERs of biochemical structures and processes, which are both abstract and often represented by confusing computer-generated symbols and man-made markings. The aim of this study was three-fold. Firstly, to identify and classify students' conceptual and reasoning difficulties with a selection of textbook ERs representing· IgG structure and function. Secondly, to use these difficulties to identify sources of the difficulties and, therefore, factors influencing students' ability to interpret the ERs. Thirdly, to develop a model of these factors and investigate the practical applications of the model, including guidelines fOf improving ER design and the teaching and learning with ERs. The study was conducted at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and involved a total of 166 second and third-year biochemistry students. The research aims were addressed using a p,ostpositivistic approach consisting of inductive and qualitative research methods. Data was collected from students by means of written probes, audio- and video-taped clinical interviews, and student-generated diagrams. Analysis of the data revealed three general categories of student difficulties, with the interpretation of three textbook ERs depicting antibody structure and interaction with antigen, termed the process-type (P), the. structural-type (S) and DNA-related (D) difficulties. Included in the three general categories of difficulty were seventeen sub-categories that were each classified on the four-level research framework of Grayson et al. (2001) according to v how much information we had about the nature ofeach difficulty and, therefore, whether they required further research. The incidences of the classified difficulties ranged from 3 to 70%, across the student populations and across all three ERs. Based on the evidence of the difficulties, potential sources of the classified difficulties were isolated. Consideration of the nature of the sources of the exposed difficulties indicated that at least three factors play a major role in students' ability to interpret ERs in biochemistry. The three factors are: students' ability to reason with an ER and with their own conceptual knowledge (R), students' understanding (or lack thereof) of the concepts of relevance to the ER (C), and the mode in which the desired phenomenon is represented by the ER (M). A novel three-phase single interview technique (3P-SIT) was designed to explicitly investigate the nature of the above three factors. Application of3P-SIT to a range of abstract to realistic ERs of antibody structure and interaction with antigen revealed that the. instrument was extremely useful for generating data corresponding to the three factors.. In addition; analysis of the 3P-SIT data showed evidence for the influence ofone factor on another during students' ER interpretation, leading to the identification of a further four interactive factors, namely the reasoning-mode (R-M), reasoning conceptual (R-C), conceptual-mode (C-M) and conceptual-reasoning-mode (C-R-M) factors. The Justi and Gilbert (2002) modelling process was employed to develop a model of the seven identified factors. Empirical data generated using 3P-SIT allowed the formulation and validation of operational definitions for the seven factors and the expression of the model as a Venn diagram, Consideration ofthe implications of the model, yielded at least seven practical applications of the model, including its use for: establishing whether sound or unsound interpretation, learning and visualisation of an ER has occurred; identifying the nature and source of any difficulties; determining which of the factors of the model are positively or negatively influencing interpretation; establishing what approaches to ER design and teaching and learning with ERs will optimise the interpretation and learning process; and, generally framing and guiding researchers', educators' and authors' thinking about the nature of students' difficulties with the interpretation of both static and animated ERs in any scientific context. In addition, the study demonstrated how each factor of the expressed model can be used to inform the design of strategies for remediating or preventing students' difficulties with the interpretation of scientific ERs, a target for future research. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

The use of external representations (ERs) such as diagrams and animations in science education, particularly in the Molecular Life Sciences (MLS), has rapidly increased over the past decades. Research shows that ERs have a superior advantage over text alone for teaching and learning. Research has also indicated a number of concerns coupled with the use of ERs for education purposes. Such problems emanate from the mode of presentation and/or inability to use ERs. Regarding the later, a number of factors have been identified as major causes of student difficulties and they include visual literacy as one of the major factors. Given that little has been done to understand the nature of VL in the MLS the current study was conducted with the general aim of investigating this area and devising a way to measure the visual literacy levels of our students. More specifically, this study addressed the following research questions: i) What is the nature of visual literacy in MLS?; ii) Can specific levels of visual literacy be defined in the MLS?; and iii) Is a taxonomy a useful way of representing the levels of visual literacy for MLS? To respond to these questions, the current literature was used to define the nature of visual literacy and the visualization skills (VSs). These were then used to develop a Visual Literacy Test made up on probes in the context of Biochemistry. In these probes, the VSs were incorporated. The test was administered to 3rd year Biochemistry students who were also interviewed. Results were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. The later analysis utilized the Rasch model to generate an item difficulty map. The results of the current study show that visual literacy is multifaceted in nature and is context based in that it requires specific propositional knowledge. In line with this, it was found that visual literacy is expressed through a cognitive process of visualization which requires VSs. Based on the performance of these skills, learners’ optimal visual literacy in the context of the MLS can be defined. Such performance can be assessed through the development of probes in the Biochemistry context. Furthermore, the current research has shown that using probes, the difficulty degree of each VS can be determined. In this instance, the Rasch model is a preferred method of ranking VSs in the context of Biochemistry in order of difficulty. From this, it was shown that given the uniqueness of each skill’s degree of difficulty, each skill can thus be regarded as a level of visual literacy. Such levels were defined in terms of the norm difficulty obtained in the current study. Given the multifaceted nature of visual literacy, the current study adopted the view that there are infinite number of VSs and hence the number of levels of visual literacy. From the variation in the degree of difficulty, the study showed that there are nonvisualization and visualization type difficulties which contribute to the differences in visual literacy levels between Biochemistry students. In addition to this, the current study showed that visual literacy in the MLS can be presented through a taxonomy. Such a taxonomy can be used to determine the level of each VS, its name and definition, typical difficulties found in the MLS as well as the visualization stage at which each skill is performed. Furthermore, this taxonomy can be used to design models, assess students’ visual literacy, identify and inform the remediation of students’ visualization difficulties. While the study has successfully defined the nature of visual literacy for the MLS and presented visual literacy in a taxonomy, more work is required to further understand visual literacy for the MLS, a field where visual literacy is very prevalent. / Thesis (M.Sc.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Acompanha: Produção técnica / A aprendizagem de Biologia Celular no Ensino Médio apresenta alguns obstáculos aos alunos, que são intrínsecos ao conteúdo. Primeiramente, há um vocabulário relativamente extenso de termos que não fazem parte do cotidiano. Segundo ponto, esses termos podem se relacionar de maneiras complexas que são difíceis de assimilar. Finalmente, vários processos biológicos acontecem em etapas dinâmicas, que podem ser difíceis de deduzir a partir de imagens estáticas. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi desenvolver um software educacional que pudesse auxiliar no processo de ensino e aprendizagem de Biologia Celular no Ensino Médio. Dois princípios usados na ferramenta foram a interatividade e a animação gráfica. A pesquisa teve como universo, duas turmas de primeiro ano do Ensino Médio técnico integrado em agroecologia e informática totalizando 80 alunos de uma escola pública Federal do Estado do Paraná e foi baseada no desenvolvimento, aplicação e teste de eficácia de um jogo tendo como foco o ensino de síntese proteica e seus mecanismos de funcionamento, assunto vinculado ao estudo da Biologia Celular. Os testes de eficácia foram feitos iniciando-se com a aplicação de uma questão aberta que procurou levantar informações sobre o nível de conhecimento do aluno acerca do assunto após a aplicação de uma aula expositiva e posterior aplicação da mesma questão como pós teste, depois da aplicação do jogo em sala. Os resultados foram avaliados e caraterizados a partir de quatro categorias de aprendizado em Biologia, sendo essas, Nominal, Funcional, Estrutural e Multidimencional em ordem crescente de nível de aprendizado. Como resultado, constatamos pela evolução das questões formuladas pelos alunos, frente às categorias citadas, que o produto teve influência positiva no aprendizado e pode contribuir para a dinamicidade no ensino da Biologia Celular no Ensino Médio. / The learning of Cell Biology in High School presents some obstacles to students, which are intrinsic to the content. First, there is a relatively extensive vocabulary of terms that is not part of everyday life. Second point, these terms may relate in complex ways that are difficult to assimilate. Finally, several biological processes take place in dynamic steps, which can be difficult to infer from static images. The general objective of this work is to develop an educational software that could aid in the teaching and learning process of Cell Biology in High School. Two principles used in the tool were the interactivity and graphical animation. The research had as a universe two first year classes of an Integrated Technical High School Course in Agroecology and Informatics totaling 80 students of a public federal school of the State of Paraná and it was based in the development, application and effectiveness test of a game having as focus the teaching of protein synthesis and its mechanisms of functioning, a subject linked to the study of Cell Biology. Efficacy tests were performed through an application of an open question, in order to evaluate the level of the students’ knowledge on the subject after an expositive class and a later application of the same question as an post evaluation, after the application of the game in class. The results were evaluated and characterized from four categories of learning in Biology, such as, Nominal, Functional, Structural and Multidimensional in ascending order of learning level. As a result, we verified by the evolution of the questions formulated by the students, given the aforementioned categories, that the product had a positive influence on learning and can contribute to the dynamism in the teaching of Cell Biology in High School.

Performance in Lesotho at senior level (COSC) has been poor. One of the subjects which is performed poorly is Biology 5090. This prompted the researcher to examine factors responsible for the poor performance in Biology 5090. The study also aimed at finding ways in which teachers envisage to improve Biology 5090 performance. Data was collected from three schools through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The study also adopted the General System Theory (GST) as the theoretical framework. Data was analyzed in line with qualitative content analysis, and from the perspective of the GST. The data analysis scheme was developed and presented (appendix P). The results of the study showed that Biology 5090 performance was affected by factors such as human resources, and the transformation process. The study also suggested ways in which Biology 5090 performance could be improved in Lesotho. These include: in-serving training, team work and others. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

Text in Afrikaans / An increase in information accompanied by scientific and technological development necessitates the re-evaluation of the present Biology Curriculum, as the curriculum does not meet the demands of the community. An analysis of the above-mentioned problem reveals the structure and principles of Biology as a subject and the bio-ethic factors which to a larger extend influence man's values as technology and information change. By means of a literature study and personal interviews the development and design of a lifescience curriculum for Biology is formulated. Within this, several aspects concerning the teaching of a lifescience Biology Curriculum will be discussed. Important methods and strategies required for the successful teaching of Biology include a process approach, a constructivism approach, demonstration, discovery, reflective and metalearning, practical work, discussions and co-operative learning methods. The successful teaching of Biology, however, goes hand in hand with effective preservice and inservice training of Biology teachers. / lnformasievermeerdering gepaardgaande met wetenskaplike en tegnologiese ontwikkeling noodsaak 'n herevaluering van die huidige Biologiekurrikulum aangesien die kurrikulum nie voldoen aan die eise en behoeftes van die gemeenskap nie. Ter ontleding van bogenoemde probleem, word die struktuur en grondslae van Biologie as vak en die bio-etiese faktore wat toenemend die mens se waardedimensie beinvloed, namate die tegnologie en inligting verander, bespreek. Deur middel van 'n literatuurstudie en persoonlike onderhoude word die ontwikkeling en ontwerp van 'n Lewenskunde Biologiekurrikulum uiteengesit. Hieruit sal verskeie aspekte rakende die onderrig van 'n Lewenskunde Biologiekurrikulum bespreek word. Belangrike metodes en strategiee wat vir suksesvolle Biologie-onderrig benodig word, sluit die prosesbenadering, 'n konstruktivistiese benadering, demonstrasie-, ontdekkende -, reflektiewe - en metaleer, praktiese werk, besprekings- en kooperatiewe leermetodes in. Die sukses van Biologie-onderrig gaan egter hand-aan-hand met effektiewe voordiens- en indiensopleiding van Biologie-onderwysers. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didaktiek)