View in EDS

Sketchy Understandings: Drawings Reveal Where Students May Need Additional Support to Understand Scale and Abstraction in Common Representations of DNA

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Sketchy Understandings: Drawings Reveal Where Students May Need Additional Support to Understand Scale and Abstraction in Common Representations of DNA
Language: English
Authors: Crystal Uminski (ORCID 0000-0002-3370-5192), L. Kate Wright (ORCID 0000-0001-7379-0224), Dina L. Newman (ORCID 0000-0002-2983-1102)
Source: Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. 2025 26(2).
Availability: American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Graduate Education (DGE)
Contract Number: 2222337
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Visual Aids, Molecular Biology, Freehand Drawing, Undergraduate Students, Genetics, Scientific Concepts, Error Patterns, Concept Formation, Science Instruction, Molecular Structure
ISSN: 1935-7877
1935-7885
Abstract: Visual representations in molecular biology tend to follow a set of shared conventions for using certain shapes and symbols to convey information about the size and structure of nucleotides, genes, and chromosomes. Understanding how and why biologists use these conventions to represent DNA is a key part of visual literacy in molecular biology. Visual literacy, which is the ability to read and interpret visual representations, encompasses a set of skills that are necessary for biologists to effectively use models to communicate about molecular structures that cannot be directly observed. To gauge students' visual literacy skills, we conducted semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students who had completed at least a year of biology courses. We asked students to draw and interpret figures of nucleotides, genes, and chromosomes, and we analyzed their drawings for adherence to conventions for representing scale and abstraction. We found that 77% of students made errors in representing scale, and 86% of students made errors in representing abstraction. We also observed that about half of the students in our sample used the conventional shapes and symbols to represent DNA in unconventional ways. These unconventional sketches may signal an incomplete understanding of the structure and function of DNA. Our findings indicate that students may need additional instructional support to interpret the conventions in common representations of DNA. We highlight opportunities for instructors to scaffold visual literacy skills into their teaching to help students better understand visual conventions for representing scale and abstraction in molecular biology.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1481719
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1481719
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1481719
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Sketchy Understandings: Drawings Reveal Where Students May Need Additional Support to Understand Scale and Abstraction in Common Representations of DNA
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Crystal+Uminski%22">Crystal Uminski</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3370-5192">0000-0002-3370-5192</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22L%2E+Kate+Wright%22">L. Kate Wright</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7379-0224">0000-0001-7379-0224</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dina+L%2E+Newman%22">Dina L. Newman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2983-1102">0000-0002-2983-1102</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Microbiology+%26+Biology+Education%22"><i>Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 26(2).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 16
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: SourceSuprt
  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Graduate Education (DGE)
– Name: NumberContract
  Label: Contract Number
  Group: NumCntrct
  Data: 2222337
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+Aids%22">Visual Aids</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Molecular+Biology%22">Molecular Biology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Freehand+Drawing%22">Freehand Drawing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Genetics%22">Genetics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+Concepts%22">Scientific Concepts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Error+Patterns%22">Error Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Concept+Formation%22">Concept Formation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Instruction%22">Science Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Molecular+Structure%22">Molecular Structure</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1935-7877<br />1935-7885
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Visual representations in molecular biology tend to follow a set of shared conventions for using certain shapes and symbols to convey information about the size and structure of nucleotides, genes, and chromosomes. Understanding how and why biologists use these conventions to represent DNA is a key part of visual literacy in molecular biology. Visual literacy, which is the ability to read and interpret visual representations, encompasses a set of skills that are necessary for biologists to effectively use models to communicate about molecular structures that cannot be directly observed. To gauge students' visual literacy skills, we conducted semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students who had completed at least a year of biology courses. We asked students to draw and interpret figures of nucleotides, genes, and chromosomes, and we analyzed their drawings for adherence to conventions for representing scale and abstraction. We found that 77% of students made errors in representing scale, and 86% of students made errors in representing abstraction. We also observed that about half of the students in our sample used the conventional shapes and symbols to represent DNA in unconventional ways. These unconventional sketches may signal an incomplete understanding of the structure and function of DNA. Our findings indicate that students may need additional instructional support to interpret the conventions in common representations of DNA. We highlight opportunities for instructors to scaffold visual literacy skills into their teaching to help students better understand visual conventions for representing scale and abstraction in molecular biology.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1481719
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1481719
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Visual Aids
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Molecular Biology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Freehand Drawing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Genetics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scientific Concepts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Error Patterns
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Concept Formation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Molecular Structure
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Sketchy Understandings: Drawings Reveal Where Students May Need Additional Support to Understand Scale and Abstraction in Common Representations of DNA
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Crystal Uminski
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: L. Kate Wright
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Dina L. Newman
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 08
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1935-7877
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1935-7885
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 26
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1