New learning material in developmental biology (Yarden and Brill,
2000) was initially introduced to high-school biology majors (17-yearold
students in 11th grade [three classes; n = 17, n = 12, n = 30] and
18-year-old students in 12th grade [one class; n = 10]) at four urban
high schools in Israel. The total number of student participants in the
experimental group was 69. The group was composed of an approximately
equal number of males (33) and females (36). In addition to
this group of students, the same curriculum was introduced to an additional
class (18-year-old students in 12th grade; n = 18) at another
urban high school in Israel. From this additional class, qualitative
data were collected and analyzed.
The control group consisted of an additional class of high-school
biology majors from an urban high school in Israel (17-year-old students
in 11th grade; n = 38). This class did not learn the developmental
biology curriculum and was engaged in learning genetics, as an
advanced topic of the syllabus for biology majors (see below).
In Israel, students choose to major during 11th and 12th grades in
at least one scientific or nonscientific topic, which is evaluated in a
national matriculation examination. The syllabus for biology-major
studies in Israel (300 h of teaching [Israeli Ministry of Education, 1991,
2003]) includes, in addition to basic topics, advanced topics that are
aimed to reflect the dynamics of biological research and discovery.
Each of the advanced topics, including the curriculum in developmental
biology, is designed for 30 h of teaching