Understanding of protein structure by higher education students, under the perspective of Johnson-Laird\'s mental models theory

Author(s)

Marília Faustino da Silva

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC/BT)
• Defense date: 2012-11-28

Examining board members

Nelma Regina Segnini Bossolan; Salete Linhares Queiroz; Bayardo Baptista Torres

• Advisor: Nelma Regina Segnini Bossolan

Abstract

The Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and its underlying concepts are embedded in the curriculum of basic education and have been present in the daily life of students, involving the analysis and decision making about ethical issues related to the production and application of scientific and technological knowledge. The explanations of some phenomena and processes related to these themes are almost always in atomic and molecular level, which is described and explained with physical and conceptual models, or even images. In light of the mental models theory of Johnson-Laird, people reason through mental models and may use other forms of mental representations as propositions and images. In this context we proposed diagnose mental representations that students in higher education had on the subject proteins, as well as the contribution of a didactic sequence using tactile models for teaching and learning the structure and function of proteins. Thirteen students of two undergraduation courses Teacher education course in Exact Sciences (LCE) and Bachelor in Biomolecular and Physical Sciences (CFBio) - participated of this research. The tools used for data collection were: (a) an interview with the students of the courses mentioned (pre-test), (b) two courses lasting three days for each group (CFBio and LCE) and (c) an interview with the same students made one week after completion of each course (post-test). The data were of three kinds: written records (drawings and/or diagrams), one or more tactile models assembled with low cost materials, audio and pictures from the filming of the interviews. Written records and tactile models of each student were photographed and audio interviews transcribed, generating an individual document that provided a content analysis, allowing the classification of students in two categories: modellers and non-modellers, each one with its own subcategories. The detection of mental representations that students had before and after the course indicated that the contribution of the didactic sequence for the teaching/learning of the subject proteins was positive, increasing the number of students modellers and enables them (a) increase the level of complexity and sophistication in their external representations (drawings and tactile models) and (b) the development and clarification of concepts not previously understood. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/04537-3 - Understanding the structure of proteins for college students, in view of mental models
• Grantee: Marília Faustino da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master