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1.
This study focused on the development of a two-tier multiple-choice diagnostic instrument, which was designed and then progressively modified, and implemented to assess students' understanding of solution chemistry concepts. The results of the study are derived from the responses of 756 Grade 11 students (age 16–17) from 14 different high schools who participated in the study. The final version of the instrument included a total of 13 items that addressed the six aspects of solution chemistry, and students' understandings in the test were challenged in multiple contexts with multiple modes and levels of representation. Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients for the content tier and both tiers of the test were found to be 0.697 and 0.748, respectively. Results indicated that a substantial number of students held an inadequate understanding of solution chemistry concepts. In addition, 21 alternative conceptions observed in more than 10% of the students were reported, along with discussion on possible sources of such conceptions. 相似文献
2.
Jing-Wen Lin 《International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education》2016,14(2):287-307
Holding scientific conceptions and having the ability to accurately predict students’ preconceptions are a prerequisite for science teachers to design appropriate constructivist-oriented learning experiences. This study explored the types and sources of students’ preconceptions of electric circuits. First, 438 grade 3 (9 years old) students were surveyed about their pre-instructional ideas on electric circuits and where they developed these ideas. Then, 76 elementary school teachers with master’s degrees in science education were selected and their content knowledge of electric circuits was documented. Next, they were asked to make predictions about the kind of preconceptions most grade 3 students would have about electric circuits and the most dominant source of these preconceptions. The results revealed that these skilled teachers held scientific conceptions for most of the questions surveyed; however, they inaccurately predicted the types and sources of the students’ prominent alternative preconceptions. Specifically, they underestimated the possibility of students holding scientific concepts and neglected the effect of students’ intuition on their conceptions. Implications for teaching and teacher education are discussed. 相似文献
3.
Hye-Eun Chu David F. Treagust Shelley Yeo Marjan Zadnik 《International Journal of Science Education》2013,35(10):1509-1534
The aims of this study were to determine the underlying conceptual structure of the thermal concept evaluation (TCE) questionnaire, a pencil-and-paper instrument about everyday contexts of heat, temperature, and heat transfer, to investigate students’ conceptual understanding of thermal concepts in everyday contexts across several school years and to analyse the variables—school year, science subjects currently being studied, and science subjects previously studied in thermal energy—that influence students’ thermal conceptual understanding. The TCE, which was administered to 515 Korean students from years 10–12, was developed in Australia, using students’ alternative conceptions derived from the research literature. The conceptual structure comprised four groups—heat transfer and temperature changes, boiling, heat conductivity and equilibrium, and freezing and melting—using 19 of the 26 items in the original questionnaire. Depending on the year group, 25–55% of students experienced difficulties in applying scientific concepts in everyday contexts. Years of schooling, science subjects currently studied and physics topics previously studied correlated with development of students’ conceptual understanding, especially in topics relating to heat transfer, temperature scales, specific heat capacity, homeostasis, and thermodynamics. Although students did improve their conceptual understandings in later years of schooling, they still had difficulties in relating the scientific concepts to their experiences in everyday contexts. The study illustrates the utility of using a pencil-and-paper questionnaire to identify students’ understanding of thermal concepts in everyday situations and provides a baseline for Korean students’ achievement in terms of physics in everyday contexts, one of the objectives of the Korean national curriculum reforms. 相似文献
4.
Research has shown that students’ alternative conceptions in science are quite resistent to change, which indicates that the teaching strategies used are not appropriate and that new strategies should be implemented in order to promote conceptual change. This pilot study was carried out with 100 Portuguese 5th grade students and aims: (a) to investigate a teaching strategy geared to the students’ conceptual change, taking into account their misconceptions about scientific ideas; (b) to promote a better attitude towards science. The results of this study indicate that the teaching approach based on the pupils’ alternative ideas and that makes them reflect on their own work and ideas, seemed to increase learning of scientific concepts related to the topic ‘properties and corpuscular model of the air’ and consequently favoured conceptual change better than a ‘traditional’ approach. 相似文献
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6.
Holding scientific conceptions and having the ability to accurately predict students’ preconceptions are a prerequisite for science teachers to design appropriate constructivist-oriented learning experiences. This study explored the types and sources of students’ preconceptions of electric circuits. First, 438 grade 3 (9 years old) students were surveyed about their pre-instructional ideas on electric circuits and where they developed these ideas. Then, 76 elementary school teachers with master’s degrees in science education were selected and their content knowledge of electric circuits was documented. Next, they were asked to make predictions about the kind of preconceptions most grade 3 students would have about electric circuits and the most dominant source of these preconceptions. The results revealed that these skilled teachers held scientific conceptions for most of the questions surveyed; however, they inaccurately predicted the types and sources of the students’ prominent alternative preconceptions. Specifically, they underestimated the possibility of students holding scientific concepts and neglected the effect of students’ intuition on their conceptions. Implications for teaching and teacher education are discussed.
相似文献7.
Enja Osman Saouma BouJaoude Hiba Hamdan 《International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education》2017,15(7):1257-1280
Lebanese educators claim that middle and secondary school students exhibit poor understanding of genetics due to misconceptions and difficulties that hinder progression in conceptual understanding of major genetics concepts and phenomena across different grade levels. They attributed these problems to Lebanon’s ill-structured genetics curriculum which needs a thorough revision in light of curricular reform models that take into account student misconceptions, cognitive abilities, and past experiences. Despite these claims, no empirical tests were done. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate G7-12 Lebanese students’ misconceptions and difficulties in genetics in an attempt to design a curriculum that would enhance student understanding of genetics. Using quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, we obtained an in-depth understanding of the nature of the misconceptions and difficulties encountered by students in grades 7–12, determined the level of students’ genetics literacy, and explored the progression of their level of conceptual understanding of major genetics concepts across grade levels. A questionnaire was administered to 729 students (G7-12) in 6 schools and was followed by semi-structured interviews with 62 students to validate the questionnaire results, gain further understanding of students’ misconceptions, and assess their level of genetics literacy. Findings showed that patterns of inheritance, the deterministic nature of genes, and the nature of genetic information were found to be among the most difficult concepts learned. Students also showed inadequate understanding of many basic genetics concepts which persist across grade levels. Furthermore, results indicated that students across all grade levels exhibited a low level of genetics literacy. Implications for practice and research are discussed. 相似文献
8.
Deryk T. Kelly 《Research in Science & Technological Education》2013,31(1):89-99
This paper presents findings from a case study into the development of student understanding of a complex and abstract scientific concept: chemical bonding. The case study reveals significant progression in student understanding, but also highlights issues of how such progression should be addressed. Particular emphasis is given to the factors that were associated with ‘blocks’ to appropriate concept development. The learner discussed had her own ‘alternative conceptions’ of ionic charge and electrostatic attraction that, lacking the appropriate background knowledge, she used in order to make sense of chemistry. These alternative ideas blocked the development of an electrostatic framework for bonding to replace the ‘full outer shell heuristic’ used at the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level, and had repercussions for the understanding of a range of related concepts. The importance of diagnosing learners’ alternative ideas is thus demonstrated, and some of the problems of carrying out such diagnoses are considered. 相似文献
9.
A large scale study involving 1786 year 7–10 Korean students from three school districts in Seoul was undertaken to evaluate their understanding of basic optics concepts using a two‐tier multiple‐choice diagnostic instrument consisting of four pairs of items, each of which evaluated the same concept in two different contexts. The instrument, which proved to be reliable, helped identify several context‐dependent alternative conceptions that were held by about 25% of students. At the same time, students’ performance on the diagnostic test correlated with the location of the schools, students’ achievement in school science and their attitudes to science learning. However, students’ grade levels had limited influence on their understanding of basic concepts in optics as measured by the instrument. 相似文献
10.
A sample of 100 students from junior high school physical science, high school chemistry, and introductory college chemistry were examined for understanding of five chemistry concepts. The concepts addressed were chemical change, dissolution of a solid in water, conservation of atoms, periodicity, and phase change. The amount of experience with the concepts (grade level) and reasoning ability (developmental level) were examined as possible sources of variation in student understanding. Differences in understanding with respect to grade level were found to be significant for the concepts of chemical change, dissolution of a solid, conservation of atoms, and periodicity. However, few of the students in the college chemistry sample exhibited sound understanding of chemical change, periodicity, or phase change. The use of particulate terms (atoms, ions, molecules) increased across the grade levels. Reasoning ability proved to be a significant factor for student understanding of conservation of atoms and periodicity. An examination of the number and types of misconceptions across the grade levels revealed several interesting patterns and suggested sources for the students' alternative conceptions. 相似文献
11.
This study focuses on elucidating and explaining reasons for the stability of and interrelationships between students’ conceptions about Light Propagation and Visibility of Objects using contextualized questions across 3 years of secondary schooling from Years 7 to 9. In a large-scale quantitative study involving 1,233 Korean students and 1,149 Singaporean students, data were analyzed from responses to the Light Propagation Diagnostic Instrument consisting of four pairs of items, each of which evaluated the same concept in two different problem situations. Findings show that only about 10–45 % of students could apply their conceptions of basic optics in contextualized problem situations giving rise to both stable and unstable alternative conceptions. Students’ understanding of Light Propagation concepts compared with Visibility of Objects concepts was more stable in different problem situations. The concepts of Light Propagation and Visibility of Objects were only moderately correlated. School grade was not a strong predictive variable, but students’ school achievement correlated strongly with their conceptual understanding in optics. The teaching and learning approach and education systems in the two countries may have had some influence on students’ conceptual understanding. 相似文献
12.
Julia D. Plummer 《International Journal of Science Education》2013,35(12):1571-1605
The US National Science Education Standards and the Benchmarks for Science Literacy recommend that students understand the apparent patterns of motion of the Sun, Moon, and stars by the end of early elementary school, yet no research has specifically examined these concepts from an Earth‐based perspective with this age group. This study examines children’s understanding of the patterns of apparent celestial motion among first‐grade, third‐grade, and eighth‐grade students, and investigates the extent to which these concepts develop from elementary to middle school in students without targeted instruction. Twenty students at each grade level (total n = 60) were interviewed using a novel interview setting: a small dome representing the sky, which allowed students to demonstrate their ideas. Analysis reveals that elementary and middle school students hold a variety of non‐scientific ideas about all aspects of apparent celestial motion. While the eighth‐grade students’ understanding of the apparent motion of the Sun shows a greater level of accuracy compared with the third‐grade students, across the majority of topics of apparent celestial motion, the overall level of accuracy shows little change from third grade to eighth grade. Just as prior research has demonstrated the need for instruction to improve children’s understanding of the nature of celestial objects and their actual motions, these results support the need for research on instructional strategies that improve students’ understanding of celestial motion as seen from their own perspective. 相似文献
13.
This study was based on the framework of the “conflict map” to facilitate student conceptual learning about causes of the seasons. Instruction guided by the conflict map emphasizes not only the use of discrepant events, but also the resolution of conflict between students' alternative conceptions and scientific conceptions, using critical events or explanations and relevant perceptions and conceptions that explicate the scientific conceptions. Two ninth grade science classes in Taiwan participated in this quasi‐experimental study in which one class was assigned to a traditional teaching group and the other class was assigned to a conflict map instruction treatment. Students' ideas were gathered through three interviews: the first was conducted 1 week after the instruction; the second 2 months afterward; and the third at 8 months after the treatment. Through an analysis of students' interview responses, it was revealed that many students, even after instruction, had a common alternative conception that seasons were determined by the earth's distance to the sun. However, the instruction guided by the framework of the conflict map was shown to be a potential way of changing the alternative conception and acquiring scientific understandings, especially in light of long‐term observations. A detailed analysis of students' ideas across the interviews also strongly suggests that researchers as well as practicing teachers need to pay particular attention to those students who can simply recall the scientific fact without deep thinking, as these students may learn science through rote memorization and soon regress to alternative conceptions after science instruction. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 1089–1111, 2005 相似文献
14.
Kristy Lynn Halverson Sharyn K. Freyermuth Marcelle A. Siegel Catharine G. Clark 《International Journal of Science Education》2013,35(17):2253-2272
As biotechnology‐related scientific advances, such as stem cell research (SCR), are increasingly permeating the popular media, it has become ever more important to understand students’ ideas about this issue. Very few studies have investigated learners’ ideas about biotechnology. Our study was designed to understand the types of alternative conceptions students hold concerning SCR. The qualitative research design allowed us to examine college students’ understandings about stem cells and SCR. More specifically, we addressed the following questions: How can alternative conceptions about stem cell topics be categorized? What types of alternative conceptions are most common? Participants included 132 students enrolled in a biotechnology course that focused on the scientific background of biotechnology applications relevant to citizens. In this study, we used an inductive approach to develop a taxonomy of alternative ideas about SCR by analyzing student responses to multiple open‐ended data sources. We identified five categories of conceptions: alternative conceptions about what, alternative conceptions about how, alternative conceptions about medical potential, terminology confusion, and political and legal alternative conceptions. In order to improve instruction, it is important to understand students’ ideas when entering the classroom. Our findings highlight a need to teach how science can be applied to societal issues and improve science literacy and citizenship. 相似文献
15.
Current reform efforts in science education in the United States call for students to learn science through the integration of science and engineering practices. Studies have examined the effect of engineering design on students’ understanding of engineering, technology, and science concepts. However, the majority of studies emphasize the accuracy of students’ scientific thinking instead of what students’ conceptions are. The aim of this study was to examine elementary school students’ conceptions of sun-Earth relationships as a result of engaging in an engineering design-based science task. Two independent fifth grade classrooms were identified. Each classroom teacher had 2 groups of students: 1 group engaged in traditional science lessons (control) and 1 group engaged in engineering design-based science lessons (treatment). Data were collected via multiple choice knowledge assessments, a draw-and-explain item, and semi-structured interviews designed to elicit students’ working mental models of the relationship between the sun and Earth. Results indicated a range of five different mental models expressed by students in both the control and treatment groups. These findings suggest that students still harbor alternate conceptions and possibly conflicting ideas regarding various sun-Earth relationships. If teachers are expected to implement science and engineering practices, attention must be given to not only what students’ misconceptions are but, more importantly, how best to implement design-based science lessons that facilitate students’ application and understanding of related science concepts. 相似文献
16.
Existing research on students’ conceptions contain competing philosophical positions concerning the nature of students’ ideas—whether those ideas are coherent, systematic and theory-like, or fragmented and incoherent. Existing research has also focused primarily on studies of individual conceptions rather than investigating multiple, related conceptions. Nevertheless, there is wide agreement among researchers and teachers alike that the ideas students bring to a learning situation are fertile ground for investigation, and that students’ ideas should be taken into consideration when planning science instruction. The purpose of this study was to examine the representational, conceptual framework, and contextual consistency aspects of two students’ ideas across concepts of evaporation, condensation, and boiling. Knowing the consistency students express for each specific concept, and how well they integrate these related concepts, would offer insights that could potentially impact student learning. We present two case studies here that highlight the degree of consistency expressed by two students across different representations for each target concept and in instances where these conceptions are related to one another. Findings from this study highlight the need for attention to the consistency of students’ ideas across multiple, related concepts. Implications from this study support our recommendation for metaconceptual teaching strategies that would help students examine different representations for the same concept and also to examine the consistency of their ideas across multiple conceptions. 相似文献
17.
Jazilah Othman David F. Treagust A. L. Chandrasegaran 《International Journal of Science Education》2013,35(11):1531-1550
A thorough understanding of chemical bonding requires familiarity with the particulate nature of matter. In this study, a two‐tier multiple‐choice diagnostic instrument consisting of ten items (five items involving each of the two concepts) was developed to assess students’ understanding of the particulate nature of matter and chemical bonding so as to identify possible associations between students’ understandings of the two concepts. The instrument was administered to 260 Grades 9 and 10 students (15–16 years old) from a secondary school in Singapore. Analysis of students’ responses revealed several alternative conceptions about the two concepts. In addition, analysis of six pairs of items suggested that students’ limited understanding of the particulate nature of matter influenced their understanding of chemical bonding. The findings provide useful information for challenging students’ alternative conceptions about the particulate nature of matter during classroom instruction in order to enable them to achieve better understanding of chemical bonding. 相似文献
18.
Helen Georgiou Manjula Devi Sharma 《International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education》2012,10(5):1119-1142
Thermal physics is in the realm of everyday experience, underlies current environmental concerns, and underpins studies in sciences, health and engineering. In the state of NSW in Australia, the coverage of thermal topics in high school is minimal, and, hence, so is the conceptual understanding of students. This study takes a new approach at exploring conceptions of students with a qualitative analysis facilitated by NVivo complemented with reference to sociocultural ideas of learning. A 2-part pen and paper question was given to 598 first year university students of different educational backgrounds (and therefore physics expertise). ‘The Question’ was based on 2 familiar scenarios and required the selection of a concept first, followed by an explanation. The results showed that concepts were favoured based on a student’s everyday experience and their curriculum through high school, and some were more effective than others in making scientifically congruent responses. The reported thermal physics alternative conceptions were also examined in our sample, and students’ reasoning behind such conceptions indicate that some conceptions do not inhibit scientifically congruent responses whilst others do. The results implicate language and the everyday experiences of the student in the teaching and learning of thermal physics. 相似文献
19.
Questions concerning 13–16 year old students' developing understanding of different biological concepts related to the theory of evolution of species are focused. The aim is to get more detailed examples of the ways in which students understand complex biological concepts and the development of these concepts. Data were collected from two different periods: at the beginning of the seventh and at the end of the ninth grade of the Swedish compulsory school. The examples given show how students, in various ways, construct and develop their understanding of animal and plant adaptation to nature, with the help of their biological knowledge as well as by alternative and more intuitive ideas about the function of nature. The varying abilities of students to express their ideas are discussed as well as different arguments concerning the student's difficulties in adapting to scientific ideas from more intuitive ideas. 相似文献
20.
Lin Ding 《International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education》2018,16(8):1479-1498
This study examines progression trends of Chinese students’ scientific reasoning skills across grade levels from elementary school to university. A large-scale survey using the Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning (CTSR) was conducted with 2669 Chinese students at 13 grade levels (grades 4–16). The construct validity of the CTSR was first examined using Rasch analysis to verify that the various reasoning sub-skills targeted by the test (hypothetical-deductive reasoning, proportional reasoning, correlation reasoning, probabilistic reasoning, and control of variables) form a cohesive cognitive construct. Based on an affirmative result, we proceeded to fit grade-level averages to the best-fit logistic regression model and generated trend lines for the reasoning sub-skills measured by the CTSR. Results show that the cross-grade progression trends generally follow continuous paths through increasingly greater levels of improvement. While all sub-skills display a noticeable growth during middle and high school years, they progress across the grades with different rates. Specifically, the development of proportional reasoning is fast-paced and large, but the progression of hypothetical-deductive reasoning and control of variables is markedly tardy and small. Formal science instruction, particularly the emergence of multiple domain-specific science courses in middle and high school, can influence the cross-grade progression trends. Possible causes and future improvement in science education are proposed. This study contributes to our understanding about the development of scientific reasoning and offers important implications for science instruction and research at different grades. 相似文献