Colin Wood-Robinson

How secondary students interpret instances of biological adaptation

This article reports an interview study with 84 students aged 12–16 years designed to document their understanding of biological adaptation. Analysis of transcripts suggests that secondary students find this subject area difficult and that many explain adaptation in teleological and anthropomorphic terms. Separate analysis of results from students of different ages indicated little progress in understanding from 12 to 14 years, but noticeable improvement by 16 years. Nevertheless, several alternative frameworks persisted in the older age group. Some possible implications for teachers are discussed. Since there is evidence that students come to formal teaching oj adaptation with a range of ideas, it is suggested that much more attention should be given to these in the laboratory. The authors propose that study of the historical development of thought on evolutionary processes may be a helpful strategy and that some teaching on the subject might usefully take place before its traditional place in the fifth ...

All in the genes? - Young people's understanding of the nature of genes.

This paper reports on young peoples understanding of genes as they near the end of their compulsory science education in the UK. A sample of 482 school students aged 14–16, drawn from across the ability range, took part in this study. Findings, based mainly on written responses to written questions, but supported by interview data, show that this sample had only a very limited understanding of the most basic ideas relating to function, structure, and location of genes. It is argued that these findings are not atypical for this population of school students. The implications for teaching the more complex genetic concepts demanded by the National Curriculum —genetic engineering, for example — are considered.

Children's ideas about ecology 2: ideas found in children aged 5‐16 about the cycling of matter

This paper reports some of the findings from a study of the ecological understandings of children aged 5‐16 years in schools in the north of England. Childrens ideas about selected ecological concepts were elicited through a series of written tasks and individual interviews set in a range of contexts, referred to here as probes. Responses of about 200 pupils, across the age range, were obtained on each probe. In this paper pupils’ ideas related to the cycling of matter between organisms, and between organisms and the abiotic environment in which they live, are presented and discussed. The design and methodology of the study were reported earlier (Leach et al. in press a) while a subsequent paper will discuss the childrens ideas relating to other aspects of the interdependency of organisms in ecosystems (Leach et al. in press b).

Children's ideas about ecology 3: ideas found in children aged 5‐16 about the interdependency of organisms

This paper reports some of the findings from a study of the ecological understandings of children aged 5‐16 years in schools in the north of England. Childrens ideas about selected ecological concepts were elicited through a series of written tasks and individual interviews set in a range of contexts, referred to here as probes. Responses of about 200 pupils, across the age range, were obtained on each probe. In this paper the ideas related to the interdependency of organisms in ecosystems are presented and discussed. The design and methodology of the study (Leach et al. 1995), and childrens ideas related to the cycling of matter between organisms, and between organisms and the abiotic environment (Leach et al. 1996), have already been reported.

Children's Understanding of Inheritance.

Results of an interview study with eighty-four secondary school students indicate that childrens theories about inheritance may he well-developed and coherent (though many do not conform to accepted scientific theory) before the topic is taught in school biology. The research alerts teachers to a number of commonly held viewpoints—for example intra-specific variation is often explained in terms of developmental defects, many students believe that acquired characteristics are inherited, and many also appear not to understand the equality of parental gene contribution or the mechanism of inheritance generally. Although the results suggest some improvement in understanding with age, especially between 14 and 16 years, several alternative viewpoints persisted in the older age groups. The authors discuss the implications of the work for biology teachers and suggest that more emphasis be given in lower secondary courses to the significance of genetics to life in general and to man in particular. Links between ...

What's in a cell? — young people's understanding of the genetic relationship between cells, within an individual

This paper presents further findings from a study of young peoples understanding of genetics towards the end of their compulsory science education. It focuses on the ability of these students to distinguish between genes and genetic information and the extent to which they are aware of the continuity of genetic information between cells within one individual. Many students hold the misconception that cells of different types will contain different genetic information because they have different functions and will therefore require different information. Confused, conflicting, and uncertain reasoning is also common. The implications of these findings in terms of understanding cell division are considered.

Children's ideas about ecology 1: theoretical background, design and methodology

Abstract This paper provides an introduction to a study of the ecological understandings of children aged 5‐16 years in schools in the north of England. Childrens ideas about selected ecological concepts were elicited through a series of written tasks and individual interviews set in a range of contexts, referred to here as probes. Responses of about 200 pupils, across the age range, were obtained on each probe. In this paper, issues relating to theoretical background, design and methodology are outlined. Two further papers present the major findings of the study: the first reports childrens ideas about the cycling of matter between organisms and between organisms and the abiotic environment (Leach et al. in press a); the second reports childrens ideas about the interdependency of organisms in ecosystems (Leach et al. in press b).

Osmosis in the balance

A simple investigation into the changes in mass of plant tissue when placed in solutions of different osmotic concentration is described. It is suitable for pupils at early secondary or even late primary levels. The merits of the investigation include its low cost, the easily availability of the materials required, and the ease with which the reversibility of the process can be demonstrated. It is good test of the manipulative skills of students and raises important questions as to the cause(s) of the changes in mass of the plant tissue.

Equipment for recording human breathing

In this third paper comparing physiological equipment from various suppliers, the authors again draw on the experience of over sixty teachers using the apparatus on in-service courses