Teaching Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium using Population-Level Punnett Squares: Facilitating Calculation for Students with Math Anxiety.
CBE Life Sci Educ
; 20(2): ar22, 2021 06.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33856898
ABSTRACT
Hardy-Weinberg (HW) equilibrium and its accompanying equations are widely taught in introductory biology courses, but high math anxiety and low math proficiency have been suggested as two barriers to student success. Population-level Punnett squares have been presented as a potential tool for HW equilibrium, but actual data from classrooms have not yet validated their use. We used a quasi-experimental design to test the effectiveness of Punnett squares over 2 days of instruction in an introductory biology course. After 1 day of instruction, students who used Punnett squares outperformed those who learned the equations. After learning both methods, high math anxiety was predictive of Punnett square use, but only for students who learned equations first. Using Punnett squares also predicted increased calculation proficiency for high-anxiety students. Thus, teaching population Punnett squares as a calculation aid is likely to trigger less math anxiety and help level the playing field for students with high math anxiety. Learning Punnett squares before the equations was predictive of correct derivation of equations for a three-allele system. Thus, regardless of math anxiety, using Punnett squares before learning the equations seems to increase student understanding of equation derivation, enabling them to derive more complex equations on their own.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Students
/
Learning
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
CBE Life Sci Educ
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article