This study was designed to investigate whether or not Mendelian genetics instruction using human examples, in contrast to traditional genetic examples, would facilitate the acquisition and retention of four genetic concepts: (1) complete dominance, (2) incomplete dominance, (3) law of segregation, and (4) law of independent assortment. A pre/post/delayed-posttest was designed to assess the acquisition and retention of the concepts and the formation of misconceptions of genetic concepts. A written Piagetian Task Instrument (PTI) was employed to detect cognitive growth toward the formal operational level of thought.Eighty ninth-grade biology students from Marion High School, Marion, Indiana were used in the study. The students were assigned randomly to two control and two treatment groups. Students in the control groups. were instructed in Mendelian genetics using traditional genetic examples to explain the concepts. Students in the treatment groups were instructed in Mendelian genetics using only human examples to explain the concepts.Students who were instructed in Mendelian genetics using human examples acquired and retained those concepts better and acquired fewer misconceptions than students who were instructed using traditional examples.Students who were instructed in Mendelian genetics using human examples did not differ from those instructed via traditional examples with respect to their movement from concrete operational toward formal operational thought. / Department of Biology
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/178762 |
| Date | January 1989 |
| Creators | Moore, John M. |
| Contributors | Mertens, Thomas R. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | vi, 160 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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