An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Visualization and Visualization Ability in Biochemistry.

Abstract

This qualitative study explored undergraduate biochemistry students' perceptions of visualization, their mindset beliefs, and challenges in engaging with visual representations. Ten student interviews and two instructor interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Students focused on external visualizations, while instructors emphasized internal mental imagery. Some students expressed growth mindset beliefs. However, fixed mindset beliefs about visualization were common among students with self-perceived aphantasia. Findings suggest the need for targeted instructional strategies to foster visual literacy, support diverse visualization abilities, and align student-instructor expectations.