Exploring the influence of the mass media on primary students' conceptual understanding of genetics

Education 3-13

Volumn 40, Issue 1, 2012, Pages 75-95

  Donovan, Jenny ^a   Venville, Grady ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA   (Australia)

Author keywords

DNA; genes; genetics; mass media; primary science; science conceptions; television

Indexed keywords

EID: 84858215624     PISSN: 03004279     EISSN: 14757575     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/03004279.2012.635058     Document Type: Article

References (53)

1. Allen, M. 2010. Misconceptions in primary science, Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.
2. American Association for the Advancement of Science. 2009. Benchmarks Online http://www.project2061.org/publications/bsl/online/index.php (accessed April 15, 2011)
3. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2010. The Australian Curriculum, Science. Version 1.0, Author.
4. Barrass, R. 1984. Some misconceptions and misunderstandings perpetuated by teachers and textbooks of biology. Journal of Biology Education, 18: 201-205.
5. Berthelsen, B. 1999. Students naive conceptions in life science. MSTA Journal, 44(1): 13-19.
6. Berumen, M.L. 2008. "Life" in movies [electronic version]. Science Teacher, 75(9): 26-31.
7. Brill, R. 2008. Genomics pushes biology to exciting era. Star Bulletin, November 17 http://www.starbulletin.com/columnists/factsofthematter/20081117_genomics_pushes_biology_to_exciting_era.html (accessed March 21, 2009)
8. Bruner, J. 1960. The process of education, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
9. Chattopadhyay, A. and Mahajan, B.S. Students' understanding of DNA and DNA technologies after 'Fifty years of DNA double helix'. Paper presented at Episteme-1, an international conference to review research on science, technology and mathematics education in Goa, India, 19-20 [electronic version].
10. Creswell, J.W. 2005. Educational research: Planning, conducting and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research, 2nd ed, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
11. Creswell, J.W. 2009. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches, 3rd ed, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
12. Cullingsford, C. 1984. Children and television, Aldershot, England: Gower.
13. Donovan, J. and Venville, G. 2004. Genes and DNA: What kids and experts think. SCIOS (Journal of the Science Teachers' Association of Western Australia), 40(2): 26-32.
14. Donovan, J. and Venville, G. 2005. A concrete model for teaching about genes and DNA to young students. Teaching Science, 51(4): 29-31.
15. Donovan, J. and Venville, G. Year 5: Is this the critical time to establish understandings of genes and DNA?. Paper presented at the annual international conference of the Australasian Society for Human Biology (ASHB) in Melbourne, Australia.
16. Dougherty, M. 2010. It's time to overhaul our outdated genetics curriculum. The American Biology Teacher, 72(4): 218
17. Duncan, R.G., Rogat, A.D. and Yarden, A. 2009. A learning progression for deepening students' understandings of modern genetics across the 5th to 10th grades. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(6): 655-674.
18. Feetham, S.L. and Thomson, E.J. 2006. "Keeping the individual and family in focus". In Individuals, families, and the new era of genetics: Biopsychosocial perspectives, Edited by: Miller, S.M., McDaniel, S.H., Rolland, J.S. and Feetham, S.L. 3-35. New York: W.W. Norton.
19. Fetler, M. 1984. Television viewing and school achievement. Journal of Communication, 2: 104-118.
20. Field, A.E., Camargo, C.A. Jr, Barr Taylor, C., Berkey, C.S., Roberts, S.B. and Colditz, G.A. 2001. Peer, parent, and media influences on the development of weight concerns and frequent dieting among preadolescent and adolescent girls and boys [electronic version]. Pediatrics, 107(1): 54-60.
21. Lestz, B.M. 2008. Alternate conceptions in genetics: A correlation between students' previous study of genetics and demonstrated knowledge of genetics. PowerPoint presentation http://www.slideshare.net/BLestz/genetic-misconceptions-presentation (accessed March 20, 2009)
22. Lewis, J. and Kattman, U. 2004. Traits, genes, particles and information: Re-visiting students' understandings of genetics. International Journal of Science Education, 26(2): 195-206.
23. Lewis, J. and Wood-Robinson, C. 2000. Genes, chromosomes, cell division and inheritance - Do students see any relationship?. International Journal of Science Education, 22(2): 177-195.
24. Maricopa County Attorney's Office (MCAO). 2005. CSI: Maricopa County. The CSI effect and its real-life impact on justice, Maricopa County: Author. http://www.ce9.uscourts.gov/jc2008/references/csi/CSI_Effect_report.pdf (accessed February 26, 2010)
25. Martin, E. 2006. Survey questionnaire construction [electronic version], Washington, DC: USBureau of Statistics. http://www.census.gov/srd/papers/pdf/rsm2006-13.pdf
26. McKay, S.L. 2006. Researching second language classrooms, London: Routledge.
27. Mills Shaw, K.R., Van Horne, K., Zhang, H. and Boughman, J. 2008. Essay contest reveals misconceptions of high school students in genetics content. Genetics, 178: 1157-1168.
28. Naigles, L.R. and Mayeux, L. 2001. "Television as incidental language teacher". In Handbook of children and the media, Edited by: Singer, D.G. and Singer, J.L. 135-152. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
29. National Academy of Sciences. 1996. National Science Education Standards [electronic version] http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4962 (accessed April 15, 2011)
30. National Research Council (NRC). 2007. Taking science to school: Learning and teaching science in grades K-8, Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
31. Nelkin, D. and Lindee, M.S. 2004. The DNA mystique: The gene as a cultural icon, AnnArbor: University of Michigan Press.
32. Pecora, N.O., Murray, J.P. and Wartella, E.A. 2007. Children and television: Fifty years of research, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
33. Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA). 2011. National curriculum http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/index.aspx (accessed April 15, 2011)
34. Ragin, C.C. 1994. Constructing social research: The unity and diversity of method, Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
35. Rice, M. 1983. The role of television in language acquisition. Developmental Review, 3: 211-224.
36. Rubin, A.M. 1985. "Media gratifications through the life cycle". In Media gratifications research: Current perspectives, Edited by: Rosengren, K.E., Wenner, L.A. and Palmgreen, P. 195-208. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
37. Sagan, C. 1996. The demon-haunted world: Science as a candle in the dark, New York: Ballantine Books.
38. Schmidt, M.E. and Vandewater, E.A. 2008. Media and attention: Cognition, and school achievement [electronic version]. Future of Children, 18(1): 63-85.
39. Shaw, D.L. and Hamm, B.J. 1997. "Agendas for a public union or for private communities? How individuals are using media to reshape American society". In Communication and democracy: Exploring the intellectual frontiers in agenda-setting theory, Edited by: Maxwell, McCombs, E., Shaw, Donald L. and Weaver, David H. 209-30. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. [electronic version]
40. Shelton, D.E., Kim, Y.S. and Barak, G. 2006. A study of juror expectations and demands concerning scientific evidence: Does the 'CSI Effect' exist?. Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law, 9(2): 331-368.
41. Sprafkin, J. and Gadow, K.D. 1986. Television viewing habits of emotionally-disturbed, learning disabled, and mentally retarded children. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 7(1): 45-59.
42. Springer, K. 1999. "How a naive theory of biology is acquired". In Children's understanding of biology and health, Edited by: Siegal, Michael and Peterson, C.C. 45-70. Cambridge: University Press.
43. Springer, K. and Kiel, F.C. 1989. On the development of biologically specific beliefs: The case of inheritance. Child Development, 60: 637-648.
44. Thier, M. 2008. Media and science: Developing skepticism and critical thinking [electronic version]. Science Scope, 32(3): 20-23.
45. Tiggemann, M. 2004. "Media influences in body image development". In Body image: A handbook of theory, research, and clinical practice, Edited by: Cash, T.F. and Pruzinsky, T. 91-98. New York: Guildford Press.
46. Trochim, W.M.K. 2006. Research methods knowledge base [electronic version]. http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/survtype.php (accessed November 8, 2010)
47. Van Evra, J.P. 2004. Television and child development, 3rd ed, London: Routledge.
48. Venville, G. and Donovan, J. 2007. Developing year 2 students' theory of biology with the concepts of gene and DNA. International Journal of Science Education, 29(9): 1111-1131.
49. Venville, G. and Donovan, J. 2008. How pupils use a model for abstract concepts in genetics. Journal of Biological Education, 43(1): 6-14.
50. Venville, G., Gribble, S.J. and Donovan, J. 2005. An exploration of young children's understandings of genetics concepts from ontological and epistemological perspectives. Science Education, 89(4): 614-633.
51. Werner-Wilson, R.J., Fitzharris, J.L. and Morrissey, K.L. 2004. Adolescent and parent perceptions of media influence on adolescent sexuality [electronic version]. Adolescence, 39: 303-13.
52. Willingham, D.T. 2008. What is developmentally appropriate practice?. American Educator,: 34-39.
53. Willis, G.B. and Lessler, J.T. 1999. Question appraisal system, QAS-99, Rockville, MD: Research Triangle Institute. http://appliedresearch.cancer.gov/areas/cognitive/qas99.pdf