Determining the mental structures of biology teacher students to conceptualize the subject of inheritance

In this study, it was aimed to determine the mental structures (cognitive structures) and metaphorical perceptions of Biology Education students towards the concept of heredity. The model of the study is a descriptive study with a qualitative basis. In the research, independent word association test, open-ended questions and metaphor method have been used to determine the metaphoric perceptions as data collection tools for the concept of heredity. The study group consisted of 54 students (1, 2, 3, and 4th grades) (46 girls, 8 boys) from Necmettin Erbakan University Ahmet Keleşoğlu Faculty of Education, Department of Biology Education in the 2021-2022 academic year. The data obtained from the word association test were subjected to content analysis. As a result of the examination, the data were collected under 9 categories. These categories are; genetic materials and heredity relationship, heredity and crosses, reproductive inheritance relationship, results of heredity, heredity science relationship, effective cells and organelles in heredity, the relationship between heredity and hereditary diseases, the relationship between heredity and living things are divided into different concepts. Content analysis was used in the analysis of the data obtained in the metaphor technique. From students "heredity …. like this. Because …." They were asked to complete the sentence to reveal the metaphor. The number of valid metaphors related to heredity was determined as 34. The number of categories created is 4. According to frequency values, these categories are respectively; in terms of diversity, information transfer, in terms of soybean and heredity as a system. During the analysis of the data obtained from the answers given to the open-ended questions, the answers given by the students were categorized as statements containing scientific information, statements containing non-scientific, superficial or incomplete information, and misconceptions. The answers given to these questions were evaluated and categorized, and sentences containing misconceptions were identified. As a result, when the analyzes from the word association test, metaphor technique and open-ended questions about heredity were evaluated, it can be stated that there are incomplete misconceptions and information and they cannot provide a full conceptualization in the cognitive structures of the students about heredity.