DIAGNOSING STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF ENERGY AND ITS RELATED CONCEPTS IN BIOLOGICAL CONTEXT.
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| Title: | DIAGNOSING STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF ENERGY AND ITS RELATED CONCEPTS IN BIOLOGICAL CONTEXT. |
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| Authors: | Chabalengula, Vivien1 mweene@siu.edu, Sanders, Martie2, Mumba, Frackson1 |
| Source: | International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education. Apr2012, Vol. 10 Issue 2, p241-266. 26p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Biology students, *Science students, *Biology education, *Students, Life sciences |
| Abstract: | This study diagnosed the understanding about energy and biological-context energy concepts held by 90 first-year South African university biology students. In particular, students' explanations of energy in a biological context, how energy is involved in different biological situations and whether energy is present and what types of energy are involved in diagrams depicting biological phenomena were investigated. The pencil-and-paper diagnostic test, specifically designed for this study, was used to elicit students' understanding using test items involving biological phenomena. The results showed that many students had problems in understanding energy and energy-related concepts in the following areas: First, the majority of the students provided definitions of energy rather than the explanations they were asked to provide, and the definition could have been rote-learned. Second, although nearly all students knew the energy conservation principle (energy cannot be created or destroyed), many of them were unable to apply this concept to biological contexts. Third, many students erroneously claimed that the energy for metabolism and life processes is made available during photosynthesis in plants, during digestion in animals or that this energy comes directly from the sun. Fourth, about two thirds of the students erroneously indicated that there is no energy involved/present in inanimate objects such as a statue. The implications for the teaching and learning of energy and its related concepts and recommendations for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 74034722 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: DIAGNOSING STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF ENERGY AND ITS RELATED CONCEPTS IN BIOLOGICAL CONTEXT. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chabalengula%2C+Vivien%22">Chabalengula, Vivien</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> mweene@siu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sanders%2C+Martie%22">Sanders, Martie</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mumba%2C+Frackson%22">Mumba, Frackson</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Science+%26+Mathematics+Education%22">International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education</searchLink>. Apr2012, Vol. 10 Issue 2, p241-266. 26p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biology+students%22">Biology students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+students%22">Science students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biology+education%22">Biology education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students%22">Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Life+sciences%22">Life sciences</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This study diagnosed the understanding about energy and biological-context energy concepts held by 90 first-year South African university biology students. In particular, students' explanations of energy in a biological context, how energy is involved in different biological situations and whether energy is present and what types of energy are involved in diagrams depicting biological phenomena were investigated. The pencil-and-paper diagnostic test, specifically designed for this study, was used to elicit students' understanding using test items involving biological phenomena. The results showed that many students had problems in understanding energy and energy-related concepts in the following areas: First, the majority of the students provided definitions of energy rather than the explanations they were asked to provide, and the definition could have been rote-learned. Second, although nearly all students knew the energy conservation principle (energy cannot be created or destroyed), many of them were unable to apply this concept to biological contexts. Third, many students erroneously claimed that the energy for metabolism and life processes is made available during photosynthesis in plants, during digestion in animals or that this energy comes directly from the sun. Fourth, about two thirds of the students erroneously indicated that there is no energy involved/present in inanimate objects such as a statue. The implications for the teaching and learning of energy and its related concepts and recommendations for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10763-011-9291-2 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 26 StartPage: 241 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Biology students Type: general – SubjectFull: Science students Type: general – SubjectFull: Biology education Type: general – SubjectFull: Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Life sciences Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: DIAGNOSING STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF ENERGY AND ITS RELATED CONCEPTS IN BIOLOGICAL CONTEXT. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Chabalengula, Vivien – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sanders, Martie – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mumba, Frackson IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 04 Text: Apr2012 Type: published Y: 2012 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 15710068 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 10 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education Type: main |
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