Uncovering students' incorrect ideas about foundational concepts for biochemistry

Chemistry Education Research and Practice

Volumn 12, Issue 2, 2011, Pages 210-218

  Villafañe, Sachel M ^a   Loertscher, Jennifer ^b   Minderhout, Vicky ^b   Lewis, Jennifer E ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA   (United States)

^b SEATTLE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

biochemistry, assessment, incorrect ideas, learning gains, prior knowledge

Indexed keywords

EID: 80054118995     PISSN: None     EISSN: 11094028     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1039/c1rp90026a     Document Type: Article

References (50)

1. Anderson T. R. and Rogan J. M., (2010), Bridging the educational research-teaching practice gap: tools for evaluating the quality of assessment instruments, Bioch. Mol. Biol. Educ., 38, 51-57.
2. Anderson T. R. and Schonborn K. J., (2008), Bridging the educational research-teaching practice gap: Conceptual understanding, part 1: the multifaceted nature of expert knowledge, Bioch. Mol. Biol. Educ., 36, 309-315.
3. Bao L. and Redish E. F., (2006), Model analysis: representing and assessing the dynamics of student learning, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res., 2, 010103:1-16. http://prst-per.aps.org/pdf/PRSTPER/v2/i1/e010103
4. Bateman R C., Booth D., Sirochman R., Richardson D. C. and Richardson J. S., (2002), Teaching and assessing three-dimensional molecular literacy in undergraduate biochemistry, J. Chem. Educ., 79, 551-552.
5. Berry C. and Baker M. D., (2010), Inside protein structures: teaching in three dimensions, Bioch. Mol. Biol. Educ., 38, 425-429.
6. Booth D., Bateman R C., Sirochman R., Richardson D. C., Richardson J. S., Weiner S. W., Farwell M. and Putnam-Evans, C., (2005), Assessment of molecular construction in undergraduate biochemistry, J. Chem. Educ., 82, 1854-1858.
7. Brown T. A., (2006), Confirmatory factor analysis for applied research, (1st ed.), NY: Allyn and Bacon.
8. Bunce D. M. and Hutchinson K. D., (1993), The use of the GALT (Group Assessment of Logical Thinking) as predictor of academic success in college chemistry, J. Chem. Educ., 70, 183-187.
9. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, (n.d.), Carnegie Classifications|Size and Setting Summary Tables, retrieved February 10, 2011, from http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/summary/size_setting.php
10. Cheng S. T. and Chan A. C., (2003), The development of a brief measure of school attitude, Educ. Psychol. Meas., 63, 060-1070.
11. Chi M.T.H., (2008), Three types of conceptual change: Belief revision, mental model transformation, and categorical shift, in S. Vosniadou (ed.), Handbook of research on conceptual change, Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, pp. 61-82.
12. Cohen J., (1988), Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.), Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
13. Cortina J. M., (1993), What is coefficient alpha? An examination of theory and applications, J. Appl. Psychol., 78, 98-104.
14. Duit R., (2003), Conceptual change: a powerful framework for improving science teaching and learning, Int. J. Sci. Educ., 25, 671-688.
15. Garvin-Doxas K. and Klymkowsky M., (2008) Understanding randomness and its impact on student learning: lessons learned from building the Biology Concept Inventory (BCI), CBE - Life Sci. Educ., 7, 227-233.
16. Grayson D. J., Anderson T. R. and Crossley L. G., (2001), A four-level framework for identifying and classifying student conceptual and reasoning difficulties, Int. J. Sci. Educ., 23, 611-622.
17. Harris M. A., Peck R. F., Colton S., Morris J., Neto E. C. and Kallio, J., (2009), A Combination of hand-held models and computer imaging programs helps students answer oral questions about molecular structure and function: a controlled investigation of student learning, CBE - Life Sci. Educ., 8, 29-43.
18. Hestenes D., Well M. and Swackhamer G., (1992), Force concept inventory, Phys. Teach., 30, 141-158.
19. Howitt S., Anderson T.R., Costa M., Hamilton S. and Wright, T., (2008), A concept inventory for molecular life sciences: how will it help your teaching practice?, Australian Biochemist, 39, 14-17.
20. Hu L. and Bentler P. M., (1999), Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives, Struct. Equ. Model., 6, 1-55.
21. Jiang B., Xu X., Garcia A. and Lewis J. E., (2010), Comparing two tests of formal reasoning in a college chemistry context, J. Chem. Educ., 87, 1430-1437.
22. Klymkowsky M. and Garvin-Doxas K., (2008), Recognizing student misconceptions through Ed's Tools and the Biology Concept Inventory, PLOS Biology, 6, 14-17.
23. Legg M. J., Legg J C. and Greenbowe, T. J., (2001), Analysis of success in general chemistry based on diagnostic testing using logistic regression, J. Chem. Educ., 78, 1117-1121.
24. Lewis S. E. and Lewis J. E., (2005a), The same or not the same: equivalence as an issue in educational research, J. Chem. Educ., 82, 1408-1412.
25. Lewis S. E. and Lewis J. E., (2005b), Departing from lectures: an evaluation of a Peer-Led Guided Inquiry alternative, J. Chem. Educ., 82, 135-139.
26. Lewis S. E. and Lewis J. E., (2007), Predicting at-risk students in general chemistry: comparing formal thought to a general achievement measure, Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 8, 32-51.
27. Loertscher J. and Minderhout V., (2010), Foundations of biochemistry (2nd ed.), Lisle, IL: Pacific Crest.
28. Minderhout V. and Loertscher J., (2007), Lecture-free biochemistry, Bioch. Mol. Biol. Educ., 35, 172-180.
29. Mulford D. R. and Robinson W. R., (2002), An inventory for alternate conceptions among first-semester general chemistry students, J. Chem. Educ., 79, 739-743.
30. Murphy K. R. and Davidshofer C. O., (2005) Psychological testing: principles and testing (6th ed.), New Jersey: Upper Sadler River.
31. Othman J., Treagust D. F. and Chandrasegaran A. L., (2008), An investigation into the relationship between students' conceptions of the particulate nature of matter and their understanding of chemical bonding, Int. J. Sci. Educ., 30, 1531-1550.
32. Ozmen H., Demircioglu H. and Demircioglu G., (2009), The effects of conceptual change texts accompanied with animations on overcoming 11th grade students' alternative conceptions of chemical bonding, Comput. Educ., 52, 681-695.
33. Peterson R. F., Treagust D. F. and Garnett P., (1989), Development and application of a diagnostic instrument to evaluate grade 11 and 12 students conceptions of covalent bonding and structure following a course of instruction, J. Res. Sci. Teach., 26, 301-314.
34. Roberts J. R., Hagedon, E., Dillenburg P., Patrick M. and Herman T., (2005) Physical models enhance molecular three-dimensional literacy in an introductory biochemistry course, Bioch. Mol. Biol. Educ., 33, 105-110.
35. Robic S., (2010), Mathematics, thermodynamics, and modeling to address ten common misconceptions about protein structure, folding, and stability, CBE - Life Sci. Educ., 9, 189-195.
36. Russell A. A., (1994), A rationally designed general chemistry diagnostic test, J. Chem. Educ., 71, 314-317.
37. Schmidt H. J., Kaufmann B. and Treagust D. F., (2009), Students' understanding of boiling points and intermolecular forces, Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 10, 265-272.
38. Schönborn K. J. and Anderson T. R., (2009), A model of factors determining students' ability to interpret external representations in biochemistry, Int. J. Sci. Educ., 31, 193-232.
39. Schönborn K. J. and Anderson T. R., (2010), Bridging the educational research-teaching practice gap: foundations for assessing and developing biochemistry students' visual literacy, Bioch. Mol. Biol. Educ., 38, 347-354.
40. Shi J., Wood W. B., Martin J. M., Guild N. A., Vicens Q. and Knight J. K., (2010), A diagnostic assessment for introductory molecular and cell biology, CBE - Life Sci. Educ., 9, 453-461.
41. Smith M. K., Wood W. B. and Knight J. K., (2008), The genetics concept assessment: a new concept inventory molecular and cell biology, CBE - Life Sci. Educ., 7, 422-430.
42. Stevens J. P., (1999), Intermediate statistics: a modern approach (3rd ed.), NY: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
43. Tanner K. and Allen D., (2005), Approaches to biology teaching and learning: understanding the wrong answers - teaching toward conceptual change, Cell Biol. Educ., 4, 112-117.
44. Teichert M. and Stacy A., (2002), Promoting understanding of chemical bonding and spontaneity through student explanation and integration of ideas, J. Res. Sci. Teach., 39, 464-496.
45. Treagust D. F., (1988), Development and use of diagnostic-tests to evaluate students misconceptions in science, Int. J. Sci. Educ., 10, 159-169.
46. Treagust D. F., Duit R. and Fraser B. J., (1996), Overview: research on students' pre-instructional conceptions - the driving force for improving teaching and learning in science and mathematics, in D. F. Treagust, R. Duit, and B. J. Fraser (eds.), Improving teaching and learning in science and mathematics, New York: Teachers College Press, pp. 1-14.
47. Villafañe S. M., Bailey C. P., Loertscher J., Minderhout V. and Lewis J. E., (2011), Development and analysis of an instrument to assess student understanding of foundational concepts prior to biochemistry coursework, Bioch. Mol. Biol. Educ., 39, 102-109.
48. Voet J. G., Bell E., Boyer R., Boyle J., O'Leary M. and Zimmerman J., (2003), Recommended curriculum for a program in biochemistry and molecular biology, Bioch. Mol. Biol. Educ., 31, 161-162.
49. White B., (2006), A simple and effective protein folding activity suitable for large lectures, CBE - Life Sci. Educ., 5, 264-269.
50. Wright T. and Hamilton S., (2008), Assessing student understanding in the molecular life sciences using a concept inventory, Conference Proceedings from ATN Assessment 08: Engaging Students with Assessment, Adelaide, Australia.