Misconceptions or
Missing Conceptions?

Claudia von Aufschnaiter; Christian Rogge

doi:10.12973/ejmste/75223

Misconceptions or Missing Conceptions?

Full Text (PDF)

Claudia von Aufschnaiter ¹ ^* , Christian Rogge ¹

More Detail

¹ Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, GERMANY^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Research on conceptual change assumes that students enter a science classroom with prior (mis-)conceptions. When being exposed to instruction, students are supposed to develop or change their conceptions to (more) scientific concepts. As a consequence, instruction typically concentrates on appropriate examples demonstrating that students’ conceptions are limited and need to be extended or revised (Posner criteria). Based on our studies on students’ conceptual development in Physics, we rather argue that students typically lack any (explanatory) conceptual understanding of the science content offered. We therefore conclude that a focus on missing conceptions is much more promising than a focus on misconceptions. This paper addresses theoretical arguments and empirical results supporting our proposition as well as suggests possible implications for the design of instruction and for teacher education.

Keywords

conceptual change
conceptual development
learning processes
video
physics

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2010, Volume 6, Issue 1, 3-18

https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75223

Publication date: 21 Jun 2010

Article Views: 2660

Article Downloads: 3203

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Ametller, J., Leach, J., & Scott, P. (2007). Using perspectives on subject learning to inform the design of subject teaching: An example from science education. The Curriculum Journal, 18(4), 479-492.
Buchmann, K. (2006). Beitrag von Schülerinteraktionen zur Lernentwicklung in auf Experimenten basierenden physikalischen Lernumgebungen. [Contribution of student interactions to learning processes while experimenting.] Unpublished master thesis, University of Hannover.
Chi, M. T. H. (2008). Three types of conceptual change: Belief revision, mental model transformation, and categorical shift. In S. Vosniadou (Ed.), International Handbook of Research on Conceptual Change (pp. 61-82). New York: Routledge.
Clancey, W. J. (1993). Situated action: A neuropsychological interpretation response to Vera and Simon. Cognitive Science, 17(1), 87-116.
diSessa, A. A. (1993). Toward an epistemology of physics. Cognition and Instruction, 10, 105-225.
diSessa, A. A., & Sherin, B. L. (1998). What changes in conceptual change? International Journal of Science Education, 20(10), 1155-1191.
Duit, R. (2009). Bibliography - STCSE: Students' and teachers' conceptions and science education. Online available at: http://www.ipn.uni-kiel.de/aktuell/stcse/stcse.html [12.01.2009].
Duit, R., Gropengießer, H., & Kattmann, U. (2004). Towards science education research that is relevant for improving practice: The model of educational reconstruction. In H. E. Fischer (Ed.), Developing standards in research on science education. The ESERA summer school 2004. Leiden / London / New York / Philadelphia / Singapore: Taylor and Friends.
Fischer, K. W. (2008). Dynamic cycles of cognitive and brain development: Measuring growth in mind, brain, and education. In A. W. Battro, K. W. Fischer & P. J. Léna (Eds.), The educated brain (pp. 127-150). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Halloun, I., Hake, R., & Mosca E. (1995). Revised version of the Force Concept Inventory. Download at http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html [15.08.2009]
Ioannides, C., & Vosniadou, S. (2002). The changing meanings of force. Cognitive Science Quarterly, 2(1), 5-62.
Jacobs, J. K., Kawanaka, T., & Stigler, J. W. (1999). Integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches to the analysis of video data on classroom teaching. International Journal of Educational Research, 31, 717-724.
Marton, F., & Booth, S. (1997). Learning and awareness. Mahwah (NJ): Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Marton, F., & Pang, M. F. (2006). On some necessary conditions of learning. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 15(2), 193-220.
Marton, F., & Pang, M. F. (2008). The idea of phenomenography and the pedagogy of conceptual change. In S. Vosniadou (Ed.), International handbook of research on conceptual change (pp. 533-559). New York, London: Routledge.
Mortimer, E. F., & Scott, P. H. (2003). Meaning making in secondary science classrooms. Maidenhead, Philadelphia: Open University Press.
Pöppel, E. (1994). Temporal mechanisms in perception. International Review of Neurobiology, 37, 185-202.
Rimmele, R. (2008). Videograph. Kiel: IPN.
Rittle-Johnson, B., Siegler, R. S., & Alibali, M. W. (2001). Developing conceptual understanding and procedural skill in mathematics: An iterative process. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(2), 346-362.
Rogge, C. (2009). Students’ development of conceptual knowledge within the topics thermal equilibrium and heat transfer. Paper presented at the conference of ESERA. Istanbul, September 2009.
Rogge, C. (in preparation). Entwicklung physikalischer Konzepte in aufgabenbasierten Lernumgebungen. [Development of physics concepts in task-based learning environments.] Thesis, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Department 07.
Rogge, C., & Linxweiler, U. (2008). Der ist doch voll viel kälter! Wärmeempfinden, der Nullte Hauptsatz der Wärmelehre und erste Aspekte der Wärmeübertragung. [It is much colder! Sensation of temperature and the zeroth law of thermodynamics.] Naturwissenschaften im Unterricht Physik, 19(108), 26-33.
SAC (2008). PowerPoint presentation about Salters Advanced Chemistry. Download at: http://www.york.ac.uk/org/seg/salters/chemistry/ [19.08.2009]
Seidel, T., Prenzel, M., & Kobarg, M. (2005). How to run a video study. Technical report of the IPN Video Study. Muenster: Waxmann.
Sherin, B. (2006). Common sense clarified: The role of intuitive knowledge in physics problem solving. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43(6), 535-555.
Siegler, R. S., & Crowley, K. (1991). The microgenetic method: A direct means for studying cognitive development. American Psychologist, 46(6), 606-620.
Slotta, J. D., Chi, M. T. H., & Joram, E. (1995). Assessing students' misclassifications of physics concepts: An ontological basis for conceptual change. Cognition and Instruction, 13(3), 373-400.
von Aufschnaiter, C. (2003). Interactive processes between university students: Structures of interactions and related cognitive development. Research in Science Education, 33, 341-374.
von Aufschnaiter, C. (2006a). Exploring the processes of students' development of physics concepts. Paper presented at the conference of NARST, San Francisco, USA, April 2006. Paper published on the conference CD. [Paper can be downloaded at http://www.cvauf.de/publications_conf.htm]
von Aufschnaiter, C. (2006b). Process based investigations of conceptual development: An explorative study. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 4(4), 689-725.
von Aufschnaiter, C., Erduran, S., Osborne, J., & Simon, S. (2008). Arguing to learn and learning to argue: Case studies of how students' argumentation relates to their scientific knowledge. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45(1), 101-131.
von Aufschnaiter, C., Schoster, A., & von Aufschnaiter, S. (1999). The influence of students' individual experiences of physics learning environments on cognitive processes. In J. Leach & A. C. Paulsen (Eds.), Practical work in science education - Recent research studies (pp. 281- 296). Dordrecht: Kluwer.
von Aufschnaiter, S., & von Aufschnaiter, C. (2003a). Theoretical framework and empirical evidence on students’ cognitive processes in three dimensions of content, complexity, and time. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(7), 616-648.
von Aufschnaiter, S., & von Aufschnaiter, C. (2003b). Time structures of teaching and learning processes. Paper presented at the conference of ESERA, Utrecht, The Netherlands, August 2003. (CD-Rom)
von Aufschnaiter, C., & von Aufschnaiter, S. (2007). University students' activities, thinking and learning during laboratory work. European Journal of Physics, 28, S51-S60.
Vosniadou, S. (1994). Capturing and modeling the process of conceptual change. Learning and Instruction, 4(1), 45-69.
Widodo, A. (2004). Constructivist oriented lessons. The learning environments and the teaching sequences. Frankfurt a. M.: Peter Lang.

How to cite this article

APA

von Aufschnaiter, C., & Rogge, C. (2010). Misconceptions or Missing Conceptions?. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 6(1), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75223

Vancouver

von Aufschnaiter C, Rogge C. Misconceptions or Missing Conceptions?. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2010;6(1):3-18. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75223

AMA

von Aufschnaiter C, Rogge C. Misconceptions or Missing Conceptions?. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2010;6(1), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75223

Chicago

von Aufschnaiter, Claudia, and Christian Rogge. "Misconceptions or Missing Conceptions?". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2010 6 no. 1 (2010): 3-18. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75223

Harvard

von Aufschnaiter, C., and Rogge, C. (2010). Misconceptions or Missing Conceptions?. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 6(1), pp. 3-18. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75223

MLA

von Aufschnaiter, Claudia et al. "Misconceptions or Missing Conceptions?". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 6, no. 1, 2010, pp. 3-18. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75223