The Necessity of Making Visible Concepts with Multiple Meanings in Science Education : The Use of the Gene Concept in a Biology Textbook

• The purpose of this study is to analyze variations in how the gene concept is used and conceived in different sub-disciplines in biology. An examination of the development of subject matter and the use of the gene concept in a common college biology textbook shows that the gene concept is far from presented in a consistent way. The study describes and categorizes five different gene concepts used in the textbook; the gene as a trait, an information-structure, an actor, a regulator and a marker. These conceptual differences are not dealt with in an explicit manner. This constitutes one of the sources for confusion when learning about genes and genetics.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Didaktik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Didactics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

students

inheritance

information

evolution

ideas

naturvetenskapsämnenas didaktik

Science Education

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)