Research Problem • Misconceptions are known barriers to learning.

To learn, students must be able to identify their misconceptions, break them down, and build alternate conceptions.

• Teachers must understand the underlying cognitive processes of the students to best assist them in correcting their misconceptions. HOW?

Research Question Can student drawings be used to reveal the cognitive

processes in student misconceptions?

• My question is interesting because: Addressing misconceptions is an issue for most teachers in most classes. An understanding of students cognitive processes can create an opportunity for a successful intervention.

• Research Context: Introductory Biology for majors at Salisbury University (20 freshmen/sophomores per section, no lecture)

Research Methodology• M/C meiosis pre-test (CI): To assess content knowledge

prior to the drawing exercise• Think aloud: Use the “Explain Everything” iPad app to

record students’ thought processes as they sketch the fate of a set of chromosomes through the stages of meiosis.

(1) Categorize the misconceptions revealed

(2) Within each category, compare student thinking processes and sticking points

• M/C meiosis post-test (CI): To assess learning gains or misalignment between performance on M/C and drawing

Alignment of Research Question and Methodology How can student drawings be used to reveal the

cognitive processes in student misconceptions?

• Did the drawing exercises reveal misconceptions? How did these compare to those revealed (or not revealed) by the multiple choice questions? Comparison of misconceptions identified by M/C and think aloud

• What are the sticking points in student understanding? Revealed by the think aloud; exploratory in nature