The relationships between genetic problem solving and cognitive development

本研究旨在探讨孟德尔遗传学中学生认知发展与问题解决能力之间的关系。468名中学生参与了本研究。231名学生（男118名，女113名）来自某农村/大初中。237名学生（男生127名，女生110名）来自一所城市高中。他们被要求完成两项任务。一项是逻辑思维小组评估（GALT），另一项是遗传问题测试（Genetic Problem Test），包含两种问题（现实情境中的6个问题和生物情境中的6个问题）。根据GALT任务的得分，对学生的认知发展阶段进行分类。204名学生处于具体运算阶段，162名学生处于过渡阶段，97名学生处于形式运算阶段。生物学背景下遗传问题测试结果如下：学生在具体操作阶段、过渡阶段和形式操作阶段的平均得分分别为1.84、2.09和2.25。认知水平与遗传问题解决成就的方差分析显示，在1%水平上存在显著差异（F (2,444) =6.36, p< 0.01）。舍夫测验显示，学生在形式运算阶段的得分显著高于具体运算阶段的得分。遗传问题测试在现实环境中的结果如下：学生在具体运算阶段、过渡运算阶段和形式运算阶段的平均得分分别为1.78、2.20和2.90。认知水平与遗传问题解决成就的方差分析显示，在1%水平上存在显著差异（F (2,446) =30.01, p< 0.01）。Scheffe测试表明，随着认知阶段的提高，遗传问题解决得分越高。从这些结果可以得出结论，形式运算思维是研究孟德尔遗传学的必要条件。

The purpose of this study is to identify the relationships between cognitive development and problem solving in Mendelian genetics at the secondary school.468 secondary school students participated in this study. 231 students (118 males, 113 females) were from a rural/big junior high school. 237 studnts (127 males, 110 females) were from a urban/middle senior high school. They were asked to take two tasks. one task was GALT (Group Assessment of Logical thinking), the other was Genetic Problem Test containing two kinds of problems (6 problems in the real world context, and 6 problems in the biological context).According to the score of GALT task, students'cognitive developmental stage were categorized. 204 students were idntified as the concrete operational stage, 162 students as the transitional, and 97 students as the formal operational.The results of Genetic Problem Test in the biological context were as follows ; the mean score of students at the concrete operational, at the transitional, and at the formal operational stage, was respectively 1.84,2.09, and 2.25. Analysis of variance for the cognitive level with genetic problem solving achievement indicated significant difference at 1% level (F (2,444) =6.36, p<.01) . Scheffe test showed significantly higher scores for the students at the formal operational stage than at the concrete operational stage.The results of Genetic Problem Test in the real world context were as follows ; the mean score of students at the concrete operational, at the transitional, and at the formal operational stage, was respectively 1.78,2.20, and 2.90. Analysis of variance for the cognitive level with genetic problem solving achievement indicated significant difference at 1% level (F (2,446) =30.01, p<.01).Scheffe test usggested that the score of genetic problem solving got higher as cognitive stage raised.From these results, it was concluded that formal operational thought is necessary to study Mendelian genetics.