Greater progress is possible when all relevant information is integrated. Some dominant alleles are deleterious or neutral. Alternative ideas are known by many names including alternative conceptions, misconceptions, and naive ideas. They have been extensively studied during the past 15 years. This does not imply that all prior knowledge is faulty.
Students have a great deal of valuable prior knowledge or anchoring conceptions.
A good teacher will draw out some of the students' prior experiences and link them to events in the classroom. Scientific understanding is strengthened when it is integrated with everyday knowledge.