By MariaBy Maria Le-BronLe-Bron

Biology Textbooks and the Perception of Genetics

Why do analysis of biology textbooks?

It is important to check how accurate is the information because it is one of the tools used to teach and learn science

Do biology textbooks raise misconceptions in students and teachers?

How do students view biology textbooks?

Why do the literature review?

To understand how content analysis is done

This include: collect and organize data of the sections/chapters/units within the written materials to be analyzed and to use a framework to interpret trends and patterns. A theoretical framework is a strategy that the researcher constructs as a guide to focus on the specific content's to be collected and interpreted (Sinclair, 2007).

Sinclair, M. (2007). A guide to understanding theoretical and conceptual frameworks. http://www.doctoralmidwiferysociety.org

Literature states that content analysis is an assessment of how textbooks present instructional objectives that leads to the goal of students learning; this include: questions, activates, informative data- picture, models, and diagrams to explain what is to be learned and understood---in this case genetic terms and their functions; also the information must connect to environment issues as well as connect to student experiences (Boughanmi, 2011; Dikmenli, Cardak, & Oztas, 2008).

Boughanmi, Y. (2011). Educational styles and contents of illustrations in Tunisian texts in geology: A critical textbook analysis from the didactic perspective. IARTEM e-Journal

(4)2, 23-43. http://www.biriwa.com/.../Paper2_boughanmi_geologytexts_IARTEMeJournalV

Dikmenli, M., Cardak, O., & Oztas, F. (2009). Conceptual Problems in Biology-Related Topics in Primary Science and Technology Textbooks in Turkey. International Journal of

Environmental & Science Education, (4)4, 429-440.

Literature review frameworks

Grids: are tables that represents the variables and what you are analyzing against.

Concept Maps: Cmap--can be used for key ideas and indicators

Statistical analysis tool: Cohen’s kappa-consistency of reliability

SPSS: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

Example of a grid and a concept map use by Gericke & Hagberg (2010)

Description of the epistemological feature-variants used in the classification of the textbooks

Epistemological feature-variant Legend for feature-variant 1 The structure and function relationship of the gene 1a The gene is an abstract entity and has no structure 1b The gene is a particle on the chromosome 1c The gene is a DNA segment 1d The gene consists of one or several DNA segments with various purposes

concept map use by Roseman, Stern, & Koppal, (2010). American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Chiappettaa & Fillman (2007)

Four categories of science literacy and their descriptors used to assess the distributionof the nature of science in textbook material

1. SCIENCE AS A BODY OF KNOWLEDGEa. facts, concepts, laws, and principlesb. hypotheses, theories, and modelsc. questions asking for recall of information

2. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF INVESTIGATINGa. learns through the use of materialsb. learns through the use of tables and chartsc. makes calculationsd. reasons out an answere. participates in a thought experimentf. gets information from the Internet

3. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF INVESTIGATINGa. describes how a scientist discovered or experimentedb. shows historical development of ideasc. illustrates empirical basis of scienced. models the use of assumptionse. employs inductive or deductive reasoningf. shows cause and effect relationshipsg. gives evidence and proofh. presents methods of science and problem solving

4. SCIENCE AND ITS INTERACATION WITH TECHNOLGY, AND SOCIETYa. describes usefulness of science or technologyb. presents negative effects of science or technologyc. addresses societal issues related to science or technologyd. discusses careers in science or technology

Aspects of the Methods of Methods of Methods of Methods of Methods of Methods of nature of science science cells DNA Heredity evolution ecology

Knowledge

Investigation

Thinking

STS

Some results of the lit-Rev

All the biology textbooks emphasizes on knowledge based facts

Most illustrations used in the textbooks were put into the wrong frame

Lack of information; especially concerning function of a specific gene

Blended terms as one definition; Gene and alleles

Some results of the lit-Rev

Some lit- rev was from different counties; one from Spain; the content analysis was on health issues: STDs, pregnancy’ and prevention: Most had wrong information about contraceptives and diseases

Another review was on Spanish biology textbooks in the content of molecular genetics: Lack molecular models and terms were ill described with no distinction between genetic coding and genetic information

What do I have to look forward to?

Start as soon as possible

More research

Get my hands on a statistical tool

Find a theoretical framework that works for me-A grid and maybe one of the literature reviews criteria's

Analysis the concept of genetics: DNA/genes

Compare my findings to that of my lit-rev, and other research

PRAY

Research limitations

No reliability of consistency

Human error

Time constraints- limited to maybe just one chapter in the units

First time doing this research—not enough experience

RQ: How accurate are biology textbooks in presenting the content genetics

Portion of the content analysis: test run

These textbooks for the actual analysis