TITLE:
Learning High School Biology in a Social Context
AUTHORS:
Amitabha Basu, Deborah Aglira, James R. Spotila
KEYWORDS:
Biology Learning, Cell and Molecular Biology, Standardized Curriculum, Problem, Project and Inquiry Based Laboratories, Learning and Problem-Solving Skills, Test Grades
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.8 No.15,
December
11,
2017
ABSTRACT: In this research, we developed a process that helped students connect
cell and molecular biology concepts with problems in context of their lives.
Specifically, we supplemented traditional teaching with problem, project and
inquiry based laboratories, without changing the structure of the mandated
biology curriculum. We ran the process twice, following the classroom based
action research model. Our initial foray exhibited better student-developed
projects and a modest improvement of test grades. Second time we compared
changes in problem solving skills, attitude toward reading, writing and problem
solving and improvement of traditional test grades from the beginning and end
of the school year. This process made the biological concepts so interesting
that by the end of the year nearly all students significantly (t(55) = -8.95, p ≤ 0.05) improved problem-solving
skills and some students went further to develop and solve independent
inquiries. They also exhibited improved attitude towards reading, writing and
problem solving. However, we didn’t observe any causal relationship between
improvement of problem solving skills and test grade, since its trend showed
little difference between first and second trial.