ASSESSING UNDERGRADUATES’ MISCONCEPTIONS ON CENTRAL DOGMA OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY USING A 3-TIER DIAGNOSTIC TEST

Abstract

Misconceptions can hinder students’ learning of biology, especially in the central dogma of molecular biology due to its connection with other topics. Studies have shown that Philippine high school students harbour significant misconceptions regarding genetics, including the central dogma. This study aims to develop a three-tier diagnostic test to identify misconceptions carried forward to undergraduate students enrolled in biologically related courses, leading to the development of the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology Questionnaire (CDMBQ). This study found that the CDMBQ has very good reliability (a = 0.88) and moderately positive construct validity (r = 0.4). It also revealed that the respondents have a low understanding of the central dogma (mean = 4.76), and they have acquired misconceptions pertaining to transcription, types of RNA, and translation. Lastly, perception items showed students have forgotten central dogma concepts, display confusion about the topic, and maintain neutral sentiments about their science teacher as well as have neutral feelings about their understanding of the central dogma. Nonetheless, they expressed interest in studying its concepts. These results confirm the reliability andvalidity of the CDMBQ for assessing misconceptions surrounding the central dogma of molecular biology.