Secondary school students’ misconceptions in genetics: origins and solutions

Figures & data

Figure 1. Students’ overall score in the test. Students at ISCED 2 are visualised in the light shade, ISCED 3 in the dark shade. Maximum score was 10.

Table 1. Overall results and rate of detected misconceptions and their types in TASK 1.

Question 1: Nature of genetic information
Not know/no answer		Most common misconceptions	Occurrence of misconceptions
ISCED 2 (%)	ISCED 3 (%)		ISCED 2 (%)	ISCED 3 (%)
28.1	8.6	Wrong understanding of the basic terms	7.1	9.2
Correct answer		Attributing wrong functions to DNA	6.3	8.3
ISCED 2 (%)	ISCED 3 (%)	Wrong concept of heredity	4.5	4.3
15.0	50.8	Mistook genetic information for genetics	5.5	0.7

Table 2. Overall results and rate of detected misconceptions and their types in TASK 2.

Question 2: Cell division of Paramecium
Not know/no answer		Most common misconceptions	Occurrence of misconceptions
ISCED 2 (%)	ISCED 3 (%)		ISCED 2 (%)	ISCED 3 (%)
51.9	27.7	Genetic information only splits	9.3	7.9
Correct answer		Wrong concept of heredity	7.9	5.3
ISCED 2 (%)	ISCED 3 (%)	All single cellular organisms are the same	3.3	4.0
12.4	41.6

Table 3. Overall results and rate of detected misconceptions and their types in TASK 3.

Question 3: Genetic information of neuron cell
Not know/no answer		Most common misconceptions	Occurrence of misconceptions
ISCED 2 (%)	ISCED 3 (%)		ISCED 2 (%)	ISCED 3 (%)
2.6	1.7	Neurons do not need genetic information, they get information from the surrounding cells	25.8	18.8
Correct answer
ISCED 2 (%)	ISCED 3 (%)	Non-dividing cells do not use genetic information	15.0	14.9
44.6	56.1	Neuron cells do not have any genetic information	11.9	8.3

Table 4. Overall results and rate of detected misconceptions in TASK 4–8.

Task	Correct answer (%)		Not know/no answer (%)		Misconceptions total (%)
	ISCED 2	ISCED 3	ISCED 2	ISCED 3	ISCED 2	ISCED 3
4. cell differentiation	11.7	31.7	53.6	36.0	18.8	19.1
5. nucleus functions	52.6	79.2	38.2	12.5	5.0	3.3
6. DNA functions	2.5	10.6	63.8	47.9	7.3	14.9
7. DNA vs protein	9.3	42.9	68.1	29.7	7.9	16.2
8. use of genetics	1.7	16.5	32.4	7.9	8.6	10.2

Table 5. Overall results and rate of detected misconceptions in TASK 9 and 10.

Task	Correct answer (%)		Not know/no answer (%)		Misconceptions total (%)
	ISCED 2	ISCED 3	ISCED 2	ISCED 3	ISCED 2	ISCED 3
9. TIMSS – kidneys	28.9	59.1	38.5	14.2	5.0	4.0
10. TIMSS – twins	87.3	96.4	0.7	0.0	11.7	3.6