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Designing and Field Testing of Remedial Material to Rectify Students’ Misconceptions in Biology at the Secondary School Level

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Biology Education for Social and Sustainable Development

Abstract

A study was conducted to find out ideas of students from rural and urban areas about biological concepts such as respiration, reproduction, circulation, photosynthesis, nutrition and excretion. It was observed that students displayed anthropocentric and mechanistic views about these biological concepts. They understood the concepts of circulation, role of vitamins and a balanced diet but were confused with the concepts of respiration, functioning of the heart, photosynthesis and the role of nutrients. Students equated breathing with respiration, assumed the heart functions to purify and form blood, and thought vitamins were a source of energy. Rural students from vernacular media believed the heart hoards emotions and feelings and plants release oxygen only to support living organisms. The study showed that misconceptions about respiration, vitamins, blood circulation and gaseous exchange persist across grade levels.

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Deshmukh, N.D. (2012). Designing and Field Testing of Remedial Material to Rectify Students’ Misconceptions in Biology at the Secondary School Level. In: Kim, M., Diong, C.H. (eds) Biology Education for Social and Sustainable Development. SensePublishers, Rotterdam. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6091-927-5_28

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