The effect of an argumentation-based instruction on grade twelve learners’ understanding of genetics in two schools in the Western Cape
| dc.contributor.author | Nxele Elizabeth Ursula | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-09-09T09:18:40Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-09-09T09:18:40Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The clamour in the country about the poor performance of learners in Life sciences and physical science is a great concern about the general performance of learners in science and their overall level of scientific literacy. This problem has been attributed to different facets of learning which include the amendment of curriculum over years. But my question is, can the curriculum amendment succeed without effective teaching approaches? This pivotal question formed the central concern for this investigation. This study seeks to explore the problems of genetics learning and to identify possible ways forward. Genetics is often thought of as a subject or a topic in Life Sciences (previously called Biology) that is difficult to learn and understand, especially for learners. The study is exploring the difficulties in genetics that learners are experiencing and the nature of the difficulties, with possible explanations for the difficulties observed. Many would undoubtedly acknowledge that genetics is an important subject to learn today where its applications are ubiquitous and even the cause of many debates. However, due to the nature of the subject matter, the way learning processes occur and, possibly, the way it is being taught, the understanding of genetics ideas of most learners is thought to be very poor and full of confusion and alternative views. Thus, the overall aim of this study is to explore learning difficulties and problems in genetics and then to develop and test ways by which the situation might be improved and remedied. This study involved and examined two cohorts of grade twelve learners’ conceptions of genetics using a Dialogical Argumentation Instructional Model (DAIM) as well as the Traditional Lecture Method (TLM). The study involved 60 learners selected from two public schools in Cape Town. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study examined the two groups from different schools (30 learners in each). It exposed one group to the Traditional Lecture Method (TLM) and the other group to a Dialogical Argumentation Instructional Model (DAIM) which was based on two argumentation frameworks – Toulmin’s Argumentation Pattern (TAP) and Contiguity rgumentation Theory (CAT). This research study investigated the concepts of genetics that grade twelve learners hold about Genetic terminology, Dihybrid crossings, Pedigree diagrams and Indigenous knowledge. The study lasted for six weeks during which data was collected via a Genetic Achievement Test (GAT) which in turn consisted of components such as a Cloze Test (CT); Genetic crossing Questionnaire (GCQ); and Genetic Indigenous Knowledge Case Studies (GIKCS). In addition, other activities such as group work, debates and discussions, Classroom observation, and Semi-Structured Interviews were conducted to obtain as far as possible, a holistic picture of the learners’ scientific and indigenous conceptions of genetics and related concepts. I believe that the more sources of evidence I was able to gather, the more comprehensive the data collected would become. The Data gathered were triangulated and analysed using qualitative and quantitative approaches to broaden the depth and strength of this study. At the beginning stages of the study, the adolescent learners’ preconceptions about genetics were explored before they moved to the formal course which included inter alia the Genetic Crossing Questionnaire (GCQ) and Genetic Indigenous Knowledge Case Study (GIKCS). The results indicated that the essential foundational concepts, such as the structure and function of cells and their organelles, cell divisions (mitosis and Meiosis), reproduction, the use of biological processes and very basic mathematical requirements and the concept of probability, are generally vague and misconceptions are widespread. Factors that might affect the learning of genetics for learners were also investigated. The factors were prior knowledge related to genetics and the effect of these limitations on their understanding of genetics. Results showed that learners’ performance in genetics examinations significantly correlated with their prior knowledge and misconceptions. The teaching material or research instruments were deliberately designed (constructed) to address learners’ basic foundational concepts and misconceptions and to encourage the development of their attitude towards genetics. The findings show that: (a) grade twelve learners do have alternative conceptions of genetics and inheritance, (b) DAIM did indeed effectively enhance the learners’ who were exposed to it, i.e. the experimental group’s understanding of genetics, inheritance, and genetic disorders. It also greatly improved their attitude towards Life Sciences, (c) The learners who were taught by the Traditional Lecture Method (TLM) showed some improvement in their understanding but no statistically significant change regarding their conceptual understanding of genetics, inheritance, and genetic disorders. This study discovered that the performance of learners exposed to DAIM was significantly better than that of learners who had been taught through the traditional approaches. Numerous comparisons of attitudes between the two cohorts of grade twelve learners revealed that their attitudes, social awareness, and their attitudes towards aspects of the learning processes involved, were more positive for those exposed to DAIM than their counterparts exposed to TLM. Further implications and recommendations were also presented in this study. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that science teachers should consider DAIM as worthy of consideration in their search for new teaching methods that could enhance their learners’ understanding of genetics, inheritance, genetic disorders, and perhaps other abstract concepts. It should be noted that all conclusions derived from this study must be treated tentatively. Any new approach, inevitably, will have a novelty factor that may enhance performance. Nonetheless, the evidence found in this study does suggest that DAIM, as a model of instruction, has the potential to improve learners’ understanding of genetics and associated concepts and perhaps other abstract life science concepts. Overall, the study has highlighted several problems and, based on the evidence obtained, suggestions and recommendations were made of possible ways forward for a better approach to the teaching and learning of genetics. Keywords: | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10566/20854 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of the Western Cape | |
| dc.subject | Dialogical Argumentation Instructional Model | |
| dc.subject | Argumentation | |
| dc.subject | Toulmin’s Argumentation Pattern | |
| dc.subject | Contiguity Argumentation theory | |
| dc.subject | Indigenous Knowledge systems | |
| dc.title | The effect of an argumentation-based instruction on grade twelve learners’ understanding of genetics in two schools in the Western Cape | |
| dc.type | Thesis |