Fundamental of Dna Structure Illustration in Genetic Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Advance genetic syllabus at pre university level involving DNA replication, protein synthesis and gene technology. The purpose of this study is to identify the level of understanding on DNA structure using illustration of  DNA  drawing and its correlation with the learning performance in advance genetic. (N=101, 71 females, 30 males) of pre-university students from science stream successfully recruited for the study. Students has been tested to draw the DNA structure and underwent a simple test on replication, protein synthesis and genetic technology. This study reported that over the six criteria of structure; bases; deoxyribose; phosphate; primary structure; secondary structure and organizational level, the lowest mean scored was the criteria of linkage symbol between the bases (BA3) with x̄= 0.16±0.42 while the highest mean scored was a base pair symbol (BA1) with x̄= 1.06±1.48. This study also discovered that the drawing criteria; (Hydrogen bond symbol between bases (BA2), deoxyribose symbol (DE) and DNA organization (OR) were significantly correlated to protein synthesis test score with (r=-0.209, P=0.036; r=0.203, P=0.042; r=-0.37, P=0.001) respectively. Besides that, the criteria such as DE, DNA primary structure- a linkage between deoxyribose and phosphate (PR2) and OR also significantly correlated to the genetic technology test score with (r=-0.035, P=0.001; r=0.559, P=0.001; r=0.248, P=0.012). The whole criteria scores, also significantly correlated to the protein synthesis test score with (r=0.238, P=0.017) but not for gene technology test score.   It thus summarizes that the understanding on DNA structure is crucial for conceptualization of process in genetic study like replication and protein synthesis.