Date of Award

1987

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology

Abstract

One purpose of this study was to identify and classify biology concepts in the tenth grade biology textbook issued by the Republic of China. The study also investigated student comprehension difficulties and teacher instructional difficulties, as well as the student levels of concept comprehension attainment in relation to the levels of comprehension assumed by teachers. Thirty concepts were selected. Three instruments were constructed for this study. The instruments were The Student Concept Comprehension Test forms A and B, The Teacher Assumption of Student Concept Comprehension Attainment Questionnaire, and The Teacher Perception of Concept Instructional Difficulty Questionnaire. The subjects of this research were selected from tenth grade public high school students enrolled in the Fundamental Biology course during the spring semester, 1985 in the Republic of China. Thirty schools were included in the study. The investigator asked each participating high school principal to randomly select one class of tenth grade biology students and their biology teacher as subjects. Within the limitations placed on this study, the conclusions reached from data analyses are that: (1) Some biology concepts, especially those related to genetics and the small biological structures which are invisible to the naked eye, are difficult for students to comprehend. (2) Some biology concepts, especially abstract concepts and concepts related to small biological structures which are invisible to the naked eye, are perceived to be difficult for teachers to teach. (3) There is a considerable difference between the levels of comprehension attained by students and the levels of attainment assumed by their teachers. Some concepts students find easier than teachers realized. Some concepts students find more difficult than teachers realized. (4) A positive correlation exists between students' biology concept comprehension difficulty and teachers' perceptions of instructional difficulty.

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