Generative Mechanistic Explanation Building in Undergraduate Molecular and Cellular Biology

Autor/inn/en	Southard, Katelyn M.; Espindola, Melissa R.; Zaepfel, Samantha D.; Bolger, Molly S.
Titel	Generative Mechanistic Explanation Building in Undergraduate Molecular and Cellular Biology
Quelle	In: International Journal of Science Education, 39 (2017) 13, S.1795-1829 (35 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0950-0693
DOI	10.1080/09500693.2017.1353713
Schlagwörter	Molecular Biology; Science Instruction; Qualitative Research; Undergraduate Students; State Universities; Cytology; Molecular Structure; Scientists; Student Attitudes; Thinking Skills; Schemata (Cognition); Teaching Methods; Scientific Research; Introductory Courses; Biochemistry; Genetics; Coding; Statistical Analysis; Comparative Analysis; Advanced Students; Semi Structured Interviews + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Molekularbiologie; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Qualitative Forschung; Staatliche Universität; Zytologie; Scientist; Wissenschaftler; Schülerverhalten; Denkfähigkeit; Cognition; Schema; Kognition; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Einführungskurs; Biochemie; Humangenetik; Codierung; Programmierung; Statistische Analyse; Fortgeschrittener
Abstract	When conducting scientific research, experts in molecular and cellular biology (MCB) use specific reasoning strategies to construct mechanistic explanations for the underlying causal features of molecular phenomena. We explored how undergraduate students applied this scientific practice in MCB. Drawing from studies of explanation building among scientists, we created and applied a theoretical framework to explore the strategies students use to construct explanations for "novel" biological phenomena. Specifically, we explored how students navigated the multi-level nature of complex biological systems using generative mechanistic reasoning. Interviews were conducted with introductory and upper-division biology students at a large public university in the United States. Results of qualitative coding revealed key features of students' explanation building. Students used modular thinking to consider the functional subdivisions of the system, which they "filled in" to varying degrees with mechanistic elements. They also hypothesised the involvement of mechanistic entities and instantiated abstract schema to adapt their explanations to unfamiliar biological contexts. Finally, we explored the flexible thinking that students used to hypothesise the impact of mutations on multi-leveled biological systems. Results revealed a number of ways that students drew mechanistic connections between molecules, functional modules (sets of molecules with an emergent function), cells, tissues, organisms and populations. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01