Revealing the Profile of Undergraduate Students^ Understanding of Mendelian Inheritance Concepts Hidayati Maghfiroh (a), Wachidah Hayuana (a), M Iqbal Najib Fahmi (a), Hikmah Buroidah (a), Maya Agustin (a), Nindiana Choirunisa^ (a), Deny Setiawan (a), Siti Zubaidah (a*)
a) Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl.Semarang 5, Malang 65145, Indonesia
*siti.zubaidah.fmipa[at]um.ac.id
Abstract
Advances in genetics information and complex genetics phenomena encourage undergraduate students to understand Mendelian inheritance concepts comprehensively. However, understanding the Mendelian inheritance concepts is still one of the most challenging topics for undergraduate students. This study aims to reveal undergraduate students^ understanding of the concepts of Mendel^s first law and Mendel^s second law. This research consists of two stages, namely (1) the development of Mendelian Inheritance Concepts Assessment (MICA) and (2) a qualitative descriptive study to investigate the understanding of Mendel^s law concepts of undergraduate students taking the Genetics I course at Universitas Negeri Malang. Furthermore, the data obtained were analyzed using the percentage technique using Microsoft Office Excel for Windows and interpreted with NVivo12 software. First, the results showed that the MICA test instrument was valid and reliable, so we used it to describe the understanding of Mendelian inheritance for undergraduate students. Second, the results showed that undergraduate students understood Mendel^s first law at the partial level and Mendel^s second law at the fragments level. This finding indicates that understanding Mendel^s second law is more complicated than Mendel^s first law. More seriously, many students have difficulties understanding the principles of Mendel^s law, determining model organisms of Mendel^s law, and compiling chromosome reconstructions of Mendel^s law. Thus, the results can be the basis for improving the quality of the process and assessment of genetic learning at the university.
Keywords: Mendelian inheritance concepts- Difficulties understanding- Mendel^s law
