y2016m09b05
20160923132300
assa
nadine@assaf.org.za
assa
South African Journal of Science
S. Afr. J. Sci
0038-2353
1996-7489
09232016
Volume 112
Number 9/10
Assessment of visualisation skills in biochemistry students
Assessment of visualisation skills in biochemistry students
Lindelani
Mnguni
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0361-0002
Department of Science and Technology Education, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
Konrad
Schönborn
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8888-6843
Visual Information Technology and Applications (VITA), Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
Trevor
Anderson
Visualization in Biochemistry Education (VIBE) Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Purdue, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States
Abstract
In the field of biochemistry, the use of external representations such as static diagrams and animations has increased rapidly in recent years. However, their effectiveness as instructional tools can be hindered if students lack the visual literacy and cognitive skills necessary for processing and interpreting such representations. We aimed to identify and assess visualisation skills necessary for effective processing of external representations in biochemistry. We used a modified Bloom’s taxonomy to identify the cognitive skills essential for optimal visual literacy, and designed probes based on those skills to develop a test instrument. Student responses to the probes were scored and processed with the Rasch model. This approach enabled us to rate the degree of difficulty of each visualisation skill on a linear logit scale, and to generate a person–item map to measure biochemistry students’ level of visual literacy. The results showed that the identified visualisation skills could be measured reliably, and the Rasch model was effective both for ranking the skills according to level of difficulty and for estimating a student’s relative level of visual literacy.
09232016
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/za/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/za/
10.17159/sajs.2016/20150412
20160923132300
http://sajs.co.za/assessment-visualisation-skills-biochemistry-students/lindelani-mnguni-konrad-sch%C3%B6nborn-trevor-anderson
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http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-112-9-10-Mnguni-ResearchArticle.pdf
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http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-112-9-10-Mnguni-ResearchArticle.pdf
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http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-112-9-10-Mnguni-ResearchArticle.pdf
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http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-112-9-10-Mnguni-ResearchArticle.pdf
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http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-112-9-10-Mnguni-ResearchArticle.pdf
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http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-112-9-10-Mnguni-ResearchArticle.pdf
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http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-112-9-10-Mnguni-ResearchArticle.pdf