How Accurately Do Students Perceive Cells in a Living Context?

156 Pages·2016·2.1 MB·English

The University of Maine
DigitalCommons@UMaine
Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fogler Library
Winter 12-18-2015
Thinking Beyond the Fried Egg Model: How
Accurately Do Students Perceive Cells in a Living
Context?
Milissa Knox
University of Maine, [email protected]
Follow this and additional works at:http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd
Part of theCell Anatomy Commons,Cell Biology Commons,Curriculum and Instruction
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Recommended Citation
Knox, Milissa, "Thinking Beyond the Fried Egg Model: How Accurately Do Students Perceive Cells in a Living Context?" (2015).
Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2355.
http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/2355
This Open-Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic
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THINKING BEYOND THE FRIED EGG MODEL: HOW ACCURATELY DO
STUDENTS PERCEIVE CELLS IN A LIVING CONTEXT?

By
Milissa Knox
B.S. University of Maine, 2008

A THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Science in Teaching

The Graduate School
The University of Maine
December 2015

Advisory Committee:
Dr. Molly Schauffler, Assistant Research Professor of Earth & Climate Sciences, Advisor
Dr. John Thompson, Associate Professor of Physics
Dr. Christopher Gerbi, Associate Professor of Mineralogy/Rheology
THESIS ACCEPTANCE STATEMENT

On behalf of the Graduate Committee for Milissa Knox I affirm that this
manuscript is the final and accepted thesis. Signatures of all committee members are on
file with the Graduate School at the University of Maine, 42 Stodder Hall, Orono, Maine.

Dr. Molly Schauffler, Assistant Research Professor 10/13/15

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LIBRARY RIGHTS STATEMENT

In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced
degree at The University of Maine, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available
for inspection. I further agree that permission for “fair use” copying of this thesis for
scholarly purpose may be granted by the Librarian. It is understood that any copying or
publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written
permission.

Signature:
Date:
THINKING BEYOND THE FRIED EGG MODEL: HOW ACCURATELY DO
STUDENTS PERCEIVE CELLS IN A LIVING CONTEXT?

By Milissa Knox
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Molly Schauffler

An Abstract of the Thesis Presented
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree Master of Science in Teaching
December 2015

This exploratory study investigated three aspects of introductory
undergraduate biology students’ understanding about cells. The study, which took place
at the University of Maine with voluntary students in Basic Biology (“BIO100”) in the
summer and fall of 2009, examined (1) students’ pre-course perceptions of cells as they
exist in a living context and (2) gains in students’ perception and knowledge about cells
after completing the one-semester course (BIO100). Results are based on lecture exam
scores, pre-post surveys developed as a part of this thesis, and interviews with two groups
of biology students. A total of 498 students participated in the study. Of that group, 25
students participated in either the pre- and post-instruction survey or an interview
(summer survey (n=15) and fall interview (n=10)). Results suggest that (1) students enter
BIO100 with inaccurate perceptions about how living cells vary in shape, size, and
function, and that, (2) students’ factual knowledge about cells (such as the ability to
identify parts of a cell) significantly improves during BIO100 but their contextual
understanding (such as that cell size can range from a microscopic bacterium to a large
ostrich egg) does not improve during the course. Suggestions are offered for how high
school or undergraduate curriculum and assessments might be aligned not only to
emphasize content knowledge, but also to help students acquire a more accurate
perception of the diversity of cell structure and function in living contexts.
DEDICATION

This thesis is dedicated to my husband, Justin Knox. This work would not have
been completed without your love and encouragement through this entire journey. This
thesis is also dedicated to my grandparents, Ethel and Wilmot Lewis, who provided
support and love during my childhood and whose good examples taught me to work hard
and think creatively.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Molly Schauffler for the continuous support
of my MST research, for her patience, creativity, and superb writing skills. Her guidance
and patience allowed me to persevere and complete this thesis. She was a wonderful
writing mentor. Besides my advisor, I would like to thank the rest of my thesis
committee: Dr. John Thompson and Dr. Christopher Gerbi, for their insightful comments
and encouragement. Lastly, I would like to thank my family: my husband, my mother,
and grandparents for supporting me through the challenges and adventures of life.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................. iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... iv
LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... xiv
LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................. xvii
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1
1.1. Purpose of study ..........................................................................................1
1.2. Research questions ......................................................................................1
1.3. Basic biology course description ................................................................2
1.4. Road map of the thesis ................................................................................3
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................4
2.1. What are students expected to learn about cells? ........................................4
2.1.1. What standards are available to guide students’
learning about cells? ............................................................................. 4
2.1.2. What is the kindergarten through 12th grade learning
progression for learning about cells? .....................................................6
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2.1.3. What content knowledge are high school students
expected to know about cell structures and functions? ......................... 8
2.1.4. What crosscutting concepts are especially applicable
to learning about cells? ........................................................................10
2.1.4.1. Systems and models ....................................................11
2.1.4.2. Scale ............................................................................12
2.1.4.3. Consistency and change ..............................................12
2.2. What alternative conceptions do students hold when learning
about cells?.......................................................................................................13
2.2.1. Alternative conceptions about systems and models.......15
2.2.2. Alternative conceptions about scale...............................17
2.2.3. Alternative conceptions about consistency and
change ..................................................................................... 18
2.3 What questions are still unanswered by the literature? ..............................19
3. METHODS ......................................................................................................20
3.1 Research setting .........................................................................................20
3.2 Purpose .......................................................................................................21
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