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http://dx.doi.org/10.14697/jkase.2020.40.4.385

Analysis of Genetics Problem-Solving Processes of High School Students with Different Learning Approaches  

Lee, Shinyoung (Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation)
Byun, Taejin (Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation)
Publication Information
Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education / v.40, no.4, 2020 , pp. 385-398 More about this Journal
Abstract
This study aims to examine genetics problem-solving processes of high school students with different learning approaches. Two second graders in high school participated in a task that required solving the complicated pedigree problem. The participants had similar academic achievements in life science but one had a deep learning approach while the other had a surface learning approach. In order to analyze in depth the students' problem-solving processes, each student's problem-solving process was video-recorded, and each student conducted a think-aloud interview after solving the problem. Although students showed similar errors at the first trial in solving the problem, they showed different problem-solving process at the last trial. Student A who had a deep learning approach voluntarily solved the problem three times and demonstrated correct conceptual framing to the three constraints using rule-based reasoning in the last trial. Student A monitored the consistency between the data and her own pedigree, and reflected the problem-solving process in the check phase of the last trial in solving the problem. Student A's problem-solving process in the third trial resembled a successful problem-solving algorithm. However, student B who had a surface learning approach, involuntarily repeated solving the problem twice, and focused and used only part of the data due to her goal-oriented attitude to solve the problem in seeking for answers. Student B showed incorrect conceptual framing by memory-bank or arbitrary reasoning, and maintained her incorrect conceptual framing to the constraints in two problem-solving processes. These findings can help in understanding the problem-solving processes of students who have different learning approaches, allowing teachers to better support students with difficulties in accessing genetics problems.
Keywords
genetic problem-solving; learning approaches; conceptual framing; problem-solving reasoning; think-aloud interview;
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