Reflective Approach to Studying of Genetics in 9^TH -10^TH Grade

ABSTRACT

This paper reports a pedagogical research that studied high school student's ability to reflect on their learning and personal qualities in the context of genetic issues taught within the compulsory biology education. A reflective approach was used to enhance the level of reflective thinking, and to provide directions of personal growth as well, when the students completed learning assignments and build a dialogue between different ways of knowing and positions during the genetics studying. The research tool, developed for assessing of students' reflection, is based on the extensive literature on reflective thinking, particularly the Mezirow's levels of reflectivity. A sample of 25 secondary school students aged 15–16 years filled in a written survey consisting of reflection-evoking questions to determine whether application of reflective approach was impact on developing high school students' reflection. Our results of a 16-item Likert scale, administered to the students as a pretest and posttest, indicated that there were significant increases in reflection's levels from the beginning to the end of the research.

Keywords:

• genetics
• high school biology education
• reflection
• reflective approach