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Exploring issues in learning progression research in the context of a genetics learning progression
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Matus-Nicodemos (Castro-Faix), Moraima. Exploring issues in learning progression research in the context of a genetics learning progression. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-9j9a-y276

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TitleExploring issues in learning progression research in the context of a genetics learning progression
NameMatus-Nicodemos (Castro-Faix), Moraima (author); Duncan, Ravit (chair); Etkina, Eugenia (member); Chinn, Clark (member); Todd, Amber (member); Rutgers University; School of Graduate Studies
Date Created2021
Other Date2021-10 (degree)
SubjectEducation, Genetics, Biology, Curriculum planning, Genetics -- Study and teaching, Molecular genetics -- Study and teaching, Curriculum design, Genetics, Genetics education, Learning progressions, Molecular genetics, Stepping stone ideas
Extent1 online resource (xiii, 273 pages) : illustrations
DescriptionThe Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the National Research Council (NRC) report A Framework for K-12 Science Education emphasize the importance of scientific literacy and recommend that instruction should include a set of core ideas and practices taught following a developmentally appropriate learning progression (NRC, 2012). Learning progressions (LPs) are testable hypotheses about how students learn scientific concepts and practices and how these develop over time. LPs describe the possible pathways by which students can develop mastery of core concepts in a domain and provide guidance for how to organize instruction that builds on these developing understandings (NRC, 2007).

In genetics, there are several learning progressions that differ in the assumptions about how students learn genetics and describe various learning pathways (Duncan, Rogat & Yarden, 2009; Elmensky, 2012; Roseman, Caldwell, Gogos & Kurth, 2006). The differences between these progressions are due to a lack of evidence in the field about the possible developmental constraints that may exist when learning genetics and how learning about one construct may relate to learning in another. Therefore, it is important to identify which constructs are easier to learn and if there are any affordances or constraints in learning genetics.

The research presented in this dissertation addresses this gap in three parts. First, I empirically revised Duncan et al.’s (2009) genetics LP to expand upon and clarify the classical genetics constructs. Next, I identified the knowledge resources that students used to build molecular explanations for inheritance patterns and identified a snapshot of what a progression may look like across several grades. Finally, I present a cross-sectional study in which I described student performance in genetics across several grades and identified which constructs are easier or more difficult to learn under status-quo instruction. I found that, for the most part, the conjectures of the LP hold true. However, under status-quo instruction, the students seemed to progress slower than expected. Together, these studies provide further evidence about the strength and nature of the conjectures in a genetics LP, identify “stepping-stone” ideas that are productive for learning genetics and answer questions in the field about the nature and strength of the conjectures in LPs.
NotePh.D.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Genretheses
Persistent URLhttps://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-9j9a-y276
LanguageEnglish
CollectionSchool of Graduate Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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