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Investigating how students move between different levels of biological organization when interpreting epigenetic representations
Karlstad University, Faculty of Health, Science and Technology (starting 2013), Department of Environmental and Life Sciences (from 2013). Karlstad University, Faculty of Health, Science and Technology (starting 2013), Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education Research.
Linköping University, Sweden.
Karlstad University, Faculty of Health, Science and Technology (starting 2013), Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education Research.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8735-2102
2022 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

This study explores how visual representations can enhance students ́ interpretation of epigenetic phenomena at different levels of biological organisation. Visualizations are a powerful tool for communicating complex biological processes invisible to the naked eye. Using visualizations to develop knowledge between and across different levels of organization can help provide a coherent biological understanding. We use the yo-yo strategy, previously developed in genetics education, to inform interview tasks to probe students ́ interpretation of visualizations representing epigenetic processes at sub micro, micro and macro levels of biological organization. Epigenetics is a rapidly expanding area of the life sciences with significant societal implications. Epigenetics explains how environmental factors at macro level can influence gene activity at micro and sub micro levels, and thereby human characteristics such as health and disease development. In further investigating how students move between different levels, this study explores how students interpret different visualizations that communicate epigenetic phenomena. Filmed sessions with five focus groups comprising two to four students made up the reported data collection. Analysis of students ́ pointing gestures and indications toward pictorial features and accompanying verbally uttered reasoning, showed that students move between levels of organization in three distinct patterns. These patterns are: showing no movement (dwelling), one- and two level movement. In addition, five different characteristics of interaction with the visualizations were found that enabled students meaning making of epigenetics between levels: horizontal and vertical comparisons, salient features, analogous connections, everyday life experience and text elements. Implications for biology educational research and teaching are discussed.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2022. no 6
National Category
Didactics Pedagogy
Research subject
Environmental Science; Educational Work
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-94471OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kau-94471DiVA, id: diva2:1753602
Conference
13th conference of European Researchers in Didactics of Biology (ERIDOB), August 29th – September 2nd , Nicosia, Cyprus.
Available from: 2023-04-27 Created: 2023-04-27 Last updated: 2023-04-27Bibliographically approved

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Thyberg, AnnikaGericke, Niklas

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CiteExportLink to record
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Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • apa.csl
  • Other style
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