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Genetic inheritance is a fundamental biological concept that is critical to understanding more advanced biological concepts. Diagrams are frequently used to aid learning in biology, though their presentation varies greatly. We examined teachers’ expectations about how different types of diagrams would influence learning outcomes. We chose representative diagrams based on our previous analysis of inheritance diagrams, focusing on features like detailedness, label usage, and diagram type (pedigree vs Punnett square). Science teachers (K-12) were asked to rate how well their students would learn from the presented diagrams in an online survey. Overall, teachers rated the diagrams highly. Most teachers believed Punnett squares would be more beneficial to students than pedigrees. Diagrams with labels and greater detail were also rated higher. We will discuss how these findings relate to previous research on diagram-based learning in science and the prevalence of preferred diagrams in educational materials.

Within-species variability is a fundamental biological concept, essential in understanding advanced concepts like evolution. Students formally encounter variability in their study of genetics in 4th grade; however, children’s cognitive biases can constrain their learning of variability. Diagrams are often used to facilitate learning of biological concepts, so it is important to understand how genetic inheritance diagrams depict variability. We analyzed 647 diagrams collected from textbooks and websites to examine how much variation diagrams present. We coded (1) depictions of within-species variability, and (2) other perceptual features implicated in learning (e.g., concreteness, richness). Preliminary findings indicate that many diagrams depict some within-species variability. Additionally, most diagrams used abstract representations of organisms and traits, which research suggests may be less optimal for younger students’ learning but may encourage transfer in older students. We will discuss how diagram features may reinforce children’s cognitive biases and may influence students’ learning of inheritance and variability.