Factors explaining students’ attitudes towards learning genetics and belief in genetic determinism

Understanding how teaching affects students' attitudes and beliefs is notoriously difficult, specifically in a quickly evolving societally relevant field such as genetics. The aim of this survey study to capitalize our previous research examine relates Finnish secondary school students’ liking of, self-concept experienced utility genetics, attitude towards gene technology belief genetic determinism. In unique setting, we used explanatory variables their teachers’ emphases learning materials, student-related factors, gender the number biology courses attended. Item-response theory with exploratory, confirmatory, analyses were carried out model data. Teaching explained beliefs: if teacher’s emphasis was Hereditary or textbook stronger Mendelian used, students tended havemore negative genetics determinism . Our results also suggest differences: male had more positive technology, higher self-concept, whereas females. that teaching’ approaches well materials need updates fulfil needs for literacy.