Upper secondary students' understanding of the use of multiple models in biology textbooks : the importance of conceptual variation and incommensurability

• Published in: Research in science education (Australasian Science Education Research Association) Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 755 - 780
• Main Authors: Gericke, Niklas, Hagberg, Mariana, Jorde, Doris
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.04.2013; Springer
• Subjects: Biologi; Biology; Classification; Comparative Analysis; Conceptual variation; Content Area Reading; Education; Foreign Countries; Genetics; Philosophy; Questionnaires; Reading Assignments; Science Education; Science History; Science Instruction; Scientific Concepts; Secondary education; Secondary School Science; Secondary School Students; Semi Structured Interviews; Students conceptual understanding; Sweden; Textbooks; Upper secondary school; Upper secondary years; Year 11; Year 12; Sweden; Students’ conceptual understanding; Upper secondary school; Genetics; Models; Conceptual variation; Textbooks
• ISSN: 0157-244X; 1573-1898; 1573-1898
• DOI: 10.1007/s11165-012-9288-z

In this study the authors investigate students' ability to discern conceptual variation and the use of multiple models in genetics when reading content-specific excerpts from biology textbooks. Forty one students aged 18-19 years (grade 11 and 12) studying the science program at upper secondary schools in Sweden participated in the study. The students were part of a small cohort taking the most advanced science courses at upper secondary school. Using the history and philosophy of science as their reference, the authors were able to develop a research instrument allowing students themselves to investigate the occurrence of multiple models and conceptual variation in Swedish upper secondary textbooks. Two excerpts using different models of gene function were selected from authentic textbooks. Students were given the same questionnaire-instrument after reading the two texts, and the results were compared. In this way the students themselves made a classification of the texts which could then be compared with the researchers' classification of the texts. Forty-one upper secondary students aged 18-19 participated in the study. Nine of the students also participated in semi-structured interviews. Students recognised the existence of multiple models in a general way, but had difficulty discerning the different models and the conceptual variation that occurs between them in the texts. Further they did not recognise the occurrence of incommensurability between multiple models. Students had difficulty in transforming their general knowledge of multiple models into an understanding of content specific models of gene function in the textbooks. These findings may have implications for students' understanding of conceptual knowledge because research has established textbooks as one of the most influential aspects in the planning and execution of biology lessons, and teachers commonly assign reading passages to their students without further explanation. [Author abstract, ed]