misconceptions in science

8/17/2019 Misconceptions in Science

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Misconceptions

Exploring constructivist learning in

the science context


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Objectives

•To understand what misconceptions inscience are

• To understand where they come from

• To understand and value the process bywhich they are created

• To understand how to map pupils’

misconceptions• To understand their stability

• To prepare the way for understanding how to

change them.


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hat are they!

• "urrent is used up in a bulb

• #ure substances are safe to eat$drin%

• #lants get their food from the soil

&river et al Making sense of secondary

science


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Characteristics of misconceptionsCharacteristics of misconceptions

May be lin%ed to specialist language

"an be personal or shared with others

Explain how the world wor%s in simple terms 're often similar to earlier scientific models (eg earth

is flat)

May be inconsistent with science taught in schools "an be resistant to change

May inhibit further conceptual development

Based on slide from KS3 strategy Based on slide from KS3 strategy


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here do they come from!

• "onstructed from everyday life

• *imited experience

• Mis+observation• Mis+remembering

• ,estricted teaching

- #articles melt boil conduct electricity - /aps in structure are filled with air$dust$germs

- #articles die want to get away from the cold


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e need to value the process

• Misconceptions arise as the pupil tries to

ma%e sense of their world

• e want to encourage this sense+ma%ing

process while refining the product


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0ariation!

"hildren with very different experiences may

have very different misconceptions1 eg

- 2pecial needs

- Minority groups


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3ow can we tell what they are!

• ,ead the boo%s

• ,ead their boo%s 4 test answers

•5nterviews about instances• 6rainstorm a topic with the group

• "oncept cartoons

• 'nnotated diagrams• "oncept maps

• "lass discussion of ideas$models$theories


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"oncept cartoons

• 0isual representation of scientific ideas

• Minimal text in dialogue form

• 7amiliar situations

• /ive alternative viewpoints

• 8se the misconceptions research tochoose what to include

• 5nclude the accepted answer

• /ive all alternatives e9ual status


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8se concept cartoons to..

• Explore misconceptions

• 3elp pupils as% 9uestions

• ,elate science content to :real’ situations

• #romote engagement8se

• 5ndividually or in group discussion

• 5n a plenary

• Outside lessons (corridor display parents’

evening)


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Based on KS3 strategy slideBased on KS3 strategy slide

'nnotated diagram


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"oncept map

7O,"E

acceleration

7;ma

newtons

gravity..i s a

.. . . c a u s

e s .

.

.. s i < e g i v

e n b y..

..m e a s u r e d i n


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hy are they persistent!

• They are usually simpler than the formal idea• e see what we want to see

• e fail to consider alternative explanations

• e can live in parallel universes - a veneer forthe teacher and the :real one’

- 0eneer1 we accept just enough of the new idea to

%eep the teacher happy without really changing• Matches the process of scientific advance - we

don’t ma%e a paradigm shift on the basis of

one experiment (=uhn)


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'n overview from a classroom

• 0ideo

• Teacher reviewing a lesson which reveals

misconceptions

• 'ccepting ideas extending ideas

• &iscussing models

• hat teachers do in a practical• >ext steps - moving to the formal ideas


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&iscussion tas%

#upils’ misconceptions• #aper to read1 "ler% & and ,utherford M (?@@@)

*anguage as a confounding variable in the diagnosis ofmisconceptions 5nt. A. 2ci. Educ. 0ol. ?? >o. B ppB@C+BDB

&iscussion tas%• "ompare the paper with the information presented in the

lecture on misconceptions. 5n view of what you havebeen learning does the paper threaten the whole notionof misconceptions! &oes it introduce any warnings interms of how you will explore and wor% with pupilmisconceptions in your own classrooms!

(e will pic% this up again next wee%)

misconceptions in science

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