| 1. |
- Bohlin, Gustav, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
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A conceptual characterization of online videos explaining natural selection
- 2017
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Ingår i: Science & Education. - : Springer Netherlands. - 0926-7220 .- 1573-1901. ; 26:7-9, s. 975-999
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Educational videos on the Internet comprise a vast and highly diverse source of information. Online search engines facilitate access to numerous videos claiming to explain natural selection, but little is known about the degree to which the video content match key evolutionary content identified as important in evolution education research. In this study, we therefore analyzed the content of 60 videos accessed through the Internet, using a criteria catalog with 38 operationalized variables derived from research literature. The variables were sorted into four categories: (a) key concepts (e.g. limited resources and inherited variation), (b) threshold concepts (abstract concepts with a transforming and integrative function), (c) misconceptions (e.g. that evolution is driven by need), and (d) organismal context (e.g. animal or plant). The results indicate that some concepts are frequently communicated, and certain taxa are commonly used to illustrate concepts, while others are seldom included. In addition, evolutionary phenomena at small temporal and spatial scales, such as subcellular processes, are rarely covered. Rather, the focus is on population-level events over time scales spanning years or longer. This is consistent with an observed lack of explanations regarding how randomly occurring mutations provide the basis for variation (and thus natural selection). The findings imply, among other things, that some components of natural selection warrant far more attention in biology teaching and science education research.
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| 2. |
- Göransson, Andreas C., 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Conceptual Characterization of Threshold Concepts in Student Explanations of Evolution by Natural Selection and Effects of Item Context
- 2020
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Ingår i: CBE - Life Sciences Education. - Bethesda : The American Society for Cell Biology. - 1931-7913. ; 19:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Evolutionary theory explains a wide range of biological phenomena. Proper understanding of evolutionary mechanisms such as natural selection is therefore an essential goal for biology education. Unfortunately, natural selection has time and again proven difficult to teach and learn, and students’ resulting understanding is often characterized by misconceptions. Previous research has often focused on the importance of certain key concepts such as variation, differential survival, and change in population. However, so-called threshold concepts (randomness, probability, spatial scale, and temporal scales) have also been suggested to be important for understanding of natural selection, but there is currently limited knowledge about how students use these concepts. We sought to address this lack of knowledge by collecting responses to three different natural selection items from 247 university students from Sweden and Germany. Content analysis (deductive and inductive coding) and subsequent statistical analysis of their responses showed that they overall use some spatial scale indicators, such as individuals and populations, but less often randomness or probability in their explanations. However, frequencies of use of threshold concepts were affected by the item context (e.g., the biological taxa and trait gain or loss). The results suggest that the impact of threshold concepts, especially randomness and probability, on natural selection understanding should be further explored.
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| 3. |
- Göransson, Andreas C., 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Context dependence of threshold concepts in students' natural selection explanations
- 2019
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- A rich body of research has investigated students’ explanations of natural selection by focusing on a number of key concepts such as variation, differential survival, and change in population. Recent research has pointed out that other underlying abstract concepts (so-called threshold concepts) such as randomness, probability, spatial scale, and temporal scales are central for evolution understanding. However, no holistic account exists of students’ threshold concepts use in evolutionary explanations. This study therefore aims to explore how students use the abovementioned threshold concepts in their explanations of natural selection. We collected written answers to three natural selection items (i.e., evolution of 1) antibiotic-resistance in bacteria, 2) running speed in cheetahs, and 3) blindness in cave salamanders) from 247 university students. To characterize and quantify the use of threshold concepts, content analysis and subsequent statistical analysis were carried out. Overall, students’ explanations of the three items differ in their expression of threshold concepts. Students most often phrased some kind of spatial scales but less often randomness or probability. A more-fine grained analysis indicated that randomness and spatial scale were most frequent in the bacteria item, while probability was most often expressed in the cheetah item. In contrast, temporal scale was used across all three items, although with rather unspecific expressions. Our work indicates that item context affects the expression and use of threshold concepts in evolutionary explanations.
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| 4. |
- Göransson, Andreas C., 1975-
(författare)
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Crossing the threshold : Visualization design and conceptual understanding of evolution
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The theory of evolution is considered the unifying theory of biology. An accurate understanding of evolution is vital both for the understanding of diverse topics in biology, but also for societal issues such as antibiotic resistance or biodiversity. In contrast, decades of research in science education have revealed that students have difficulties to accurately understand evolutionary processes such as mutation and natural selection. The majority of this research relies on a conceptual framework of so-called key concepts (variation, selection, inheritance), derived from scholarly descriptions of natural selection. Recent research suggests that non-domain specific concepts such as randomness, probability, spatial and temporal scales, so called threshold concepts, are important for evolution understanding in addition to the key concepts. Thus, many important elements of evolutionary theory are counter-intuitive or lie outside direct perception. Hence, representations such as visualizations, models and simulations are considered to be important for teaching and learning evolution. While the importance of visualizations is generally acknowledged for science education, less is known about how visual design can facilitate students understanding of threshold concepts, such as random mutations or spatial scales.This thesis uses the Model of Educational Reconstruction (MER) as the guiding framework for exploring the significance of threshold concepts by analysing the conceptual content of students’ explanations and extant visualizations of natural selection. MER combines scientific content with teaching and learning perspectives for the analysis and design of learning environments. Content analysis of visualizations available online showed that most fail to fully represent the basic principles of natural selection (variation, selection and inheritance). Moreover, the representational potential of visualizations was seldom used to represent threshold concepts such as randomness in origin of variation. Visualizations were also biased to animals as the context of evolution. Similarly, upper-secondary and tertiary students’ explanations of natural selection were seldom complete in terms of the basic principles and threshold concepts such as randomness were often lacking. Especially significant was the almost complete lack of randomness in upper-secondary students’ explanations. In addition, threshold concepts were context-sensitive across the items used (bacteria, cheetah and salamander), for example spatial scale and randomness was significantly more common in responses to the bacteria item compared to the cheetah and salamander items. Considering the results from these studies, three interactive visualizations were developed (evolution of antibiotic resistance and fur colouration in mice). The visualization design was conducted iteratively following a Design-Based Research approach and evaluated in classroom settings in secondary and upper-secondary Swedish schools. The results showed that visualizations targeting randomness and genetic level events such as mutations can guide students towards a more scientific conception of natural selection. However, there were differences across the visualizations and student samples. In addition, while students often inferred randomness from the visuals, the results showed that integration of randomness into explanations of natural selection may be challenging. Hence, future research should explore the role of guidance and reflection for students understanding of randomness. The thesis also discusses the role of students’ intuitive conceptions in relation to the use of interactive visualizations and how these preconceptions interact with the presented message. By using the theory of frame semantics, framing effects and conceptual integration, students’ issues of achieving an accurate understanding of evolution are discussed in relation to the theory of conceptual change. Implications for teaching and learning natural selection as well as visualization design for learning are also discussed.
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| 5. |
- Göransson, Andreas C., 1975-
(författare)
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Stepping on the threshold - visualization design and learners causal models of natural selection
- 2019
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Evolution is a central but challenging topic in biology education. The research literature is rich in examples of how learners construal of evolutionary processes such as natural selection is inadequate. While a lot of attention has been drawn to how central facts of natural selection (variation, selection and inheritance) is comprehended by students, less attention has been payed to important concepts such as randomness and probability. These are suggested to be so called threshold concepts, which are more abstract in nature. We believe that the random origin of novel traits is counter-intuitive and therefore less likely to picked up by students during teaching and learning. In an effort to address this, we work with the hypothesis that visualizations of evolution can be an effective way to make the complex and counter-intuitive nature of evolution less challenging for learners. In this study we report how a visualization of the evolution of antibiotic resistance seem to be interpreted by upper-secondary students. The focus of the visualization was to show that new traits arise by chance and not due to the “pressure” from the environment. Our preliminary results show that even though the students began to include mutation as a source of variation, this model was often mixed with their original ideas of the trait being caused by the pressure from the environment.
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| 6. |
- Göransson, Andreas C., 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Teaching randomness in evolution with interactive visualizations of natural selection
- 2021
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- A working understanding of natural selection is vital for addressing contemporary challenges, e.g., combatting antibiotic resistance, conserving biodiversity, ameliorating effects of climate change, and feeding a growing population. However, acquiring a basic understanding of the process is notoriously difficult for students. Recent research has highlighted the importance of so-called threshold concepts (randomness, probability, spatial and temporal scales) in addition to frequently taught key concepts of natural selection. While visualizations have potential utility for teaching natural selection, many visualizations have limitations in their representation of key and threshold concepts. In a previous study we found that visualizations of antibiotic resistance had several advantages but also shortcomings, especially regarding students’ understanding of random mutations. Here we report the design of two novel interactive visualizations intended to address those shortcomings by focusing on representation and role of random mutations in natural selection (antibiotic resistance and fur color of mice). Analysis of data from two pilot studies with secondary students revealed that randomness is often perceived by students in the representations. However, one of the studies revealed that students may have difficulties integrating the role of random variation in natural selection. Implications for visualization design and learning natural selection are discussed.
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| 7. |
- Göransson, Andreas C., 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Towards defining success factors for school visits to digital science centers
- 2023
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- School visits to science centers can provide valuable opportunities for pupils to engage with science content and practices different from the traditional classroom and raise pupils' interest in science and science careers. Teachers play a key role in the success of a visit by linking to classroom practice. Unfortunately, visits tend to be viewed as an isolated experience by teachers and pupils, wherein pre- and post-visit activities that actively integrate the visit into classroom practice are often lacking. While many science centers offer suggestions for such pre- and post-visit activities, teachers do not typically take advantage of them. Thus, it is imperative to explore teachers’ views on successful visits and barriers that may influence the experience for pupils. As part of a larger research project on success factors for school visits to science centers, we examined teachers views on success factors, motivations and barriers to visiting a digital science center in Sweden. Based on interviews and the accompanying literature, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to teachers in local compulsory schools. Responses from 50 teachers revealed that the most important success factors were a well-prepared program, that the content is conveyed visually, that the visit induces pupils’ curiosity, and that the activities are linked to the curriculum. Teachers most common motives for visiting were that it offers a unique experience from the classroom, that the visit is free and that the program considers pupils’ needs. The majority of the teachers conducted no or limited pre- and post-visit activities, although the science center offers lesson plans linked to the visit. Main obstacles to visits included public transport costs for suburban and rural area schools. Our results suggest that the design of a visit should also consider and support the practical constraints for teachers and schools.
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