Date

2004

Author

Kablan, Hülya

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This study was performed to determine what content in biology was perceived as difficult and important to learn and to investigate whether there is a relationship between reasoning ability, gender, perceived difficulty and importance. A total of 397 Grade 11 students and sixteen biology teachers participated in the study. Students and teachers̕ perceptions of difficult and important to learn concepts were determined through a questionnaire. Moreover, semi-structured interviews were conducted with students and teachers to determine the intrinsic difficulties and sources of difficulties. Descriptive statistics was used to determine frequencies of difficult, moderate and easy biology concepts as perceived by students and teachers. Biotechnology and genetic engineering, hormones, photosynthesis, genes, Mendelian genetics and respiration were found to be difficult concepts for students to learn. On the other hand, the students identified producers, consumers, and decomposers, active transport, diffusion and osmosis as easy topics. In addition, cell, enzyme, cell division, respiratory system in vertebrates, protein synthesis, and reproduction in animals are selected as important topics in the curriculum to be learned. On the contrary, body systems in invertebrates and animal tissues are found to be less important topics to be learned. Students̕ reasoning ability was assessed by using Group test of Logical Thinking (GALT). While a statistically significant negative correlation was found between reasoning ability and percieved difficulty (r= -.115, p<. 05), no statisticaly significant relationship between gender and perceived difficulty was found.

Subject Keywords

Secondary Education.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/2/12605505/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/14514

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis