Expert Questionnaire on the Nature of Knowledge and Translation across Multiple External Representations (MERs) in Biology

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Expert Questionnaire on the

Nature of Knowledge and

Translation across Multiple

External Representations

(MERs) in Biology

Round II of a Delphi Study

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BIOLOGY DIDACTICS EXPERT QUESTIONNAIRE: ROUND 2 OF A DELPHI STUDY

0.1. Self-rating of your biological content knowledge

Please rate the extent of your biological content knowledge expertise in each domain of

ecology, genetics and evolution by selecting the most adequate percentage value for each

domain: 0.1.1. Ecology 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 0.1.2. Genetics 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 0.1.3. Evolution 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

0.2. Self-rating of your knowledge about aspects of the competence area “Kommunikation”

0.2.1. Please provide an overall rating of your knowledge about the competence area Kommunikation as defined in the German Bildungsstandards:

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Consider the following statement when responding to items 0.2.2. and 0.2.3., below:

As one important component of the competence area of Kommunikation, recent German curriculum documents include the notion that students should be able to use multiple external representations (MERs), such as diagrams, drawings and graphs during the learning of biology. For example, students should be able to demonstrate their biological ideas through MERs as well as engage and use MERs in the communication of biological knowledge.

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0.2.2. Please rate your knowledge pertaining to the following types of biological ERs:

a) Graphs (ERs that plot numerical data for encoding quantitative information, e.g. a line graph of population growth, a scatterplot of the correlation between offspring height and mean parent height, a bar graph of the percentage of cell types expressing a certain protein).

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

b) Network charts (ERs that depict the relationships among biological components often through a spatial arrangement of symbols, e.g. a chart depicting the occurrence of a particular trait from one generation to the next, a diagram depicting a neural network).

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

c) Structure diagrams (ERs that depict the spatial aspects of physical biological objects, e.g. a sketch of the heart in cross-section, an illustration of a plant cell, a DNA helix diagram).

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

d) Process diagrams (ERs that depict temporal processes associated with physical biological objects, e.g. a diagram of a gametic meiosis cycle, a schematic illustration of gene splicing, a drawing of a neural arc from the sensory neuron to motor neuron).

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

e) Photo-realistic pictures (ERs that realistically depict biological entities, e.g. a micrograph of a cell membrane bilayer, a photograph of a terrestrial habitat, a picture of the visible expression of the albino trait).

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

0.2.3. Please rate your expertise in considering the role of translation across MERs in the learning and teaching of biology, specifically with respect to:

a) ‘Horizontal’ translation

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

b) ‘Vertical’ translation

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SECTION 1. FRAMEWORK OF BIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE 1.1. Ecology domain

1.1.1. Please specify to what extent you disagree or agree with the following statement: The structure and components of the framework (pp. 1-2 & Figure 1 in the supplied information booklet) can be applied to ecology.

I completely disagree

I partially disagree

I am undecided I partially agree I completely agree

1.1.2. If you did not completely agree with the statement in 1.1.1., please fully describe any specific adjustments that you would make to the knowledge framework with respect to

ecology.

1.1.3. Apply either the framework (Figure 1 on p. 1 of the information booklet), or your modified version in 1.1.2., to identify at least one (or more if you desire) concrete and indispensible example(s) of ecological knowledge that correspond to each framework component.

[Note: Your examples need not cover the entire domain, but could be specific to any sub-domains within the overall domain, such as relations between organisms and their environment, populations and ecosystems, and so forth.]

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1.2. Genetics domain

1.2.1. Please specify to what extent you disagree or agree with the following statement: The structure and components of the framework (pp. 1-2 & Figure 1 in the supplied information booklet) can be applied to genetics.

genetics.

1.2.3. Apply either the framework (Figure 1 on p. 1 of the information booklet), or your modified version in 1.2.2., to identify at least one (or more if you desire) concrete and indispensible example(s) of genetics knowledge that correspond to each framework component.

[Note: Your examples need not cover the entire domain, but could be specific to any sub-domains within the overall domain, such as molecular genetics, classical genetics, and so forth.]

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1.3. Evolution domain

1.3.1. Please specify to what extent you disagree or agree with the following statement: The structure and components of the framework (pp. 1-2 & Figure 1 in the supplied information booklet) can be applied to evolution.

evolution.

1.3.3. Apply either the framework (Figure 1 on p. 1 of the information booklet), or your modified version in 1.3.2., to identify at least one (or more if you desire) concrete and indispensible example(s) of evolution knowledge that correspond to each framework component.

[Note: Your examples need not cover the entire domain, but could be specific to any sub-domains within the overall domain, such as evolutionary theory, human evolution, and so forth.]

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SECTION 2. TRANSLATION PROCESSES AND CHALLENGES

2.1. The nature of the knowledge in horizontal and vertical translation processes

Please carefully consider Theme 3 (p. 4 in the information booklet) when responding to section 2.1.

2.1.1. Please specify to what extent you disagree or agree with the following statement: The nature of the biological knowledge that students need to access and apply in horizontal versus vertical translation across MERs is fundamentally different.

2.1.2. If you partially disagreed, were undecided, partially agreed or completely agreed with the statement in 2.1.1., please fully clarify in what specifically distinct ways the nature of the knowledge required for horizontal versus vertical translation is different in each domain of: a) Ecology

b) Genetics

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2.2. Challenges inherent in horizontal translation processes

Please carefully consider Theme 2 (pp. 3-4) and the horizontal translation examples (p. 7 & 9) when responding to section 2.2.

2.2.1. Apply the authors’ framework components of biological concepts and biological

principles and/or your own concrete knowledge examples from section 1 to describe what

you think are the core challenges that learners face in engaging horizontal translation in the construction of biological knowledge in each domain of:

a) Ecology

b) Genetics

c) Evolution

2.2.2. In addition to your specific responses to 2.2.1. (a) – (c) above, please expose what you feel are the common challenges across, and differences between, the three domains with respect to engaging horizontal translation processes for building biological knowledge.

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2.3. Challenges inherent in vertical translation processes

Please carefully reconsider Theme 2 (pp. 3-4), and the vertical translation examples (p. 8 & 10) when responding to section 2.3.

2.3.1. Apply the authors’ framework components of biological concepts and biological

principles and/or your own concrete knowledge examples from section 1 to describe what

you think are the core challenges that learners face in engaging vertical translation in the construction of biological knowledge in each domain of:

a) Ecology

b) Genetics

c) Evolution

2.3.2. In addition to your specific responses to 2.3.1. (a) – (c) above, please expose what you feel are the common challenges across, and differences between, the three domains with respect to engaging vertical translation processes for building biological knowledge.

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SECTION 3. DESIGNING TRANSLATION SITUATIONS FOR ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE Please carefully consider Themes 5 and 6 (pp. 5-6) as well as the remaining text on p. 6 when responding to section 3.

3.1. Please revisit your responses to 1.1.3., 1.2.3. and 1.3.3. in section 1. Please describe, and if possible, provide (electronically, on hardcopy, or through relevant references) the specific types of external representations that you would employ to develop students’ understanding of your examples of indispensible knowledge components in each domain of: 3.1.1. Ecology

3.1.2. Genetics

3.1.3. Evolution

3.2. With respect to the responses that you have delivered to this questionnaire, what do you think are the overarching critical requirements for effective translation across MERs, if students’ development of an integrated biological knowledge is to occur successfully?