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pp. 777-785 | Article Number: ijese.2018.069
Published Online: November 24, 2018
Abstract
Background: This research, which is the first one of this kind in Kosovo, deals with the use of associative tests in learning biology and in creating concepts, more concretely assessing students’ knowledge on five main human body organs. This study aims to assess the use of free associations for five human body organs and to formulate conceptual sentences in order to assess teacher students’ knowledge on biology and human body.
Material and methods: The research has been conducted with teacher students of third year of studies in the Preschool Education Programme. This research included 25 students, all females. The research took place before the period when students attend the part of the course that covers human biology. The research questionnaire consists of two parts: the first part includes written associations for each human body organ, whereas the second part is formulation of written conceptual sentences for those organs.
Results: The research resulted in 191 associations by respondents, with total frequency of 532 or an average of 4.2 associations per respondent. About half of the associations consisted of the 5 most frequent associations for each of the five organs. In the second part a total of 98 conceptual sentences were formulated with an average frequency of 3.9 sentences per respondent. The formulated sentences were grouped in 3 categories: regular biological sentences, sentences with misunderstandings about certain human body organs, and sentences from everyday life related to human body organs. Number of sentences that included misunderstandings related to the biology of respective human body organs was 18.
Conclusions: The relatively large number of associations for the five body organs was closely linked with the number of correct conceptual sentences written by students and it helps in learning biology more easily. Based on this, use of word associations in creating biological concepts may serve as a good methodological tool of assessment of learning outcomes in the subject of biology and should be promoted to new teachers. The research opens need for similar researches with teacher students of primary education level, but also teacher students` of biology subject in pre-university education system of the Republic of Kosovo.
Keywords: association, biology, frequency, concepts, organs
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