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Representing Variability: The Case of Life Cycle Diagrams
David Menendez1, Olympia N Mathiaparanam1, David Liu1
1Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706.
Many biology diagrams fail to show life cycle variability, potentially hindering student understanding of key biological concepts like inheritance and development. This impacts learning foundational life science principles.
Area of Science:
- Biology Education
- Life Sciences
Background:
- Foundational biology concepts include offspring variation and lifelong changes.
- Children's intuitive theories can conflict with these biological concepts.
- Diagrams are common instructional tools, with features impacting learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore characteristics of life cycle diagrams used in biology education.
- To discuss implications of diagram design on student learning.
Main Methods:
- Examined 75 life cycle diagrams from textbooks and children's trade books.
- Analyzed 633 life cycle diagrams from an online science database.
Main Results:
- Most diagrams did not depict within-species variability.
- Many diagrams featured perceptually rich backgrounds, potentially impeding learning.
Conclusions:
- Diagram design may inadvertently reinforce students' intuitive biological theories.
- This can create obstacles for understanding core biological concepts.
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