Exploring Epigenetics in Secondary Education. Representations From a Chemical Perspective

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Chemical Education
• Science Education

Background:

• Epigenetics is a complex biological field.
• Secondary students often struggle with abstract molecular concepts in epigenetics.
• Understanding epigenetics requires integrating chemical and genetic principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate secondary students' chemical representations of epigenetics.
• To identify common misconceptions in students' understanding of epigenetics.
• To evaluate the impact of technological interventions on conceptual models of epigenetics.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was used with 62 secondary students.
• Pre- and post-tests assessed understanding after a teaching-learning sequence (TLS).
• Technology interventions included videos, simulators, and 3D visualizers for molecular processes.

Main Results:

• Students showed significant progression in representing epigenetic mechanisms.
• Representations evolved from simple descriptions to integrated chemical and molecular models.
• Students improved in connecting chemical concepts to genetic regulation, but abstract molecular processes remained challenging.

Conclusions:

• Visually driven pedagogy enhances students' mental models of complex biological topics.
• Advanced visual tools and analogies can overcome learning barriers in epigenetics.
• This pedagogical framework can be applied to other abstract scientific subjects in secondary education.