The importance of genetic diversity, especially within small populations of endangered species, is becoming increasingly apparent. Genetic engineering techniques that could potentially enhance diversity are now being developed. However, the use of such techniques would require social licence and yet within the general population there is limited…

Even though genetics has been implemented in biology curricula at secondary schools for decades, reports repeatedly indicate that students still hold various misconceptions about this topic. To successfully target these misconceptions, we need to know their nature and origin. We aimed to investigate these properties in the Czech educational system…

This study aims to determine misconceptions about interphase, a basic phase in the cell cycle and to address those misconceptions. Meristem cells in plants, stem cells in animals, spermatogonia and oogonia cells, and some cells with partial regeneration ability do not lose dividing ability. However, normal tissue cells other than these are in the…

A scientific conceptual understanding of photosynthesis and respiration provides an important basis for understanding nature and the regulations of life. Photosynthesis and respiration are complex processes, and learning about them requires a proper understanding of their various aspects, from molecular biology to the ecosystem level. This study…

Most biology undergraduates learn about mutations in multiple classrooms throughout their college career. Understanding personalised genome test results, genome editing controversies, and the appearance of new variants of viruses or antibiotic resistant bacteria all require foundational knowledge about mutations. However, the abstract nature of…

As some misconceptions remain persistent, comforting and highly resistant to change, it is imperative to use methods and strategies that are centred around students' abilities, interests and needs to address those misconceptions. This study investigates the appropriateness of using 'concept cartoons' to address misconceptions held by forty grade 9…

Cell biology is widely considered to be the most important subject for promoting current modern biology. This paper sheds new light on the subject with the development of a diagnostic test to investigate misconceptions among pre-service biology teachers in cell biology. In this study, we developed and validated a diagnostic test -- known as the…

This study uses a case study methodology to showcase the use of the DTSICM (Design thinking Strategy to Identify and Clear Misconceptions) model, which provides a design thinking approach to identify and clear a common misconception on photosynthesis, held by a sample of 27 A-level students. As a first stage, data collected through the…

In this study, firstly, university biology students' conceptual understanding and potential misconceptions concerning meiosis were studied. Secondly, an easily applicable drawing task was used to foster students' metaconceptual awareness which would help them to reach conceptual change. A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control…

Family planning, the prevention of unwanted pregnancy, and women's reproductive health are topics that have received close attention for decades. It would therefore be fair to assume that there exists a good knowledge of the menstrual cycle. However, it is clear that many people have various misconceptions about the menstrual cycle and fertile…

Contemporary education adopts various new visualisation techniques for content to be learned. Recently, research on the application of 3D modelling and printing (3DMP) has been expanding. However, as the latest literature reviews indicate, little research is available on the contribution of 3DMP to learning of students with blindness (SWB) and…

Teachers need to be aware of biology misconceptions in their classrooms and how to address them. In response, researchers and science educators have suggested and examined effective practices to prevent and ameliorate misconceptions. An extensive review of the literature gives researchers and educators insights into trends, practices, and gaps in…

Students often have misconceptions about terrestrial carbon flows and there is a lack of coherence in students' explanations regarding the different levels of biological organisation at which these processes occur. In this study, problem-based teaching materials on the topic of terrestrial carbon flows were developed and tested with 15 students…

In June 2013, the third World Evolution Summit convened on San Cristóbal, hosting scientists from around the world (Paz-y-Miño-C and Espinosa 2013)--neither the first nor likely the last gathering of biologists on these remote islands. Clearly, both locals and an international audience perceive Galápagos as figuring prominently in discourse about…

Evolutionary trees are key tools for modern biology and are commonly portrayed in textbooks to promote learning about biological evolution. However, many people have difficulty in understanding what evolutionary trees are meant to portray. In fact, some ideas that current professional biologists depict with evolutionary trees are neither clearly…