Conceptual Difficulties and Instructional Challenges in Teaching and Learning Genetics Concepts

Abstract

Genetics is widely recognized as one of the most conceptually challenging areas in secondary science because many of its key ideas are abstract and difficult for students to visualize. This study identified the conceptual difficulties of secondary students and examined the instructional challenges encountered by teachers in teaching genetics concepts. Using a descriptive research design, the study involved students from selected public secondary schools in Iligan City, Philippines, who completed a 30-item needs assessment test. In addition, five (5) in-service science teachers answered a needs assessment questionnaire to provide qualitative data on classroom difficulties and instructional strategies related to genetics. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data, while thematic analysis was applied to the teachers’ responses.
The findings revealed that 83.75% of students falls below the passing mark of 75%. The results demonstrated low mastery of students in competencies related to non-Mendelian inheritance, mitosis and meiosis, and molecular processes involving DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis. Teachers likewise identified recurring instructional challenges, including the sequential complexity of genetics lessons, the abstract nature of molecular concepts, students’ limited prior knowledge, and inadequate instructional resources. These findings suggest the need for more visual, scaffolded, and context-based approaches to improve students’ understanding of genetics.