Proposal view
| Proposal Type: | Individual Paper |
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| Domain: | Knowledge Acquisition and Expertise in Specific Domains |
| SIG: | Conceptual Change |
| Type | Submitted Paper |
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PC and projector |
| Paper Details |
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| Title | Conceptual development and conceptual change in 12- and 14-year- old low SES students |
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| Abstract | This paper presents the results of a study that examined the process of knowledge reorganization which occurs as students, starting from their initial (continuous) model of matter, acquire the scientific (particle) model. The connections between the understanding of the scientific model and several variables (family background, gender, academic achievement, school related attitudes, inductive reasoning and complex problem solving) were explored. The sample comprised of two age groups: twelve-year-olds (grade 6) (N=1017) and fourteen-year-olds (grade 8) (N=947). Students from disadvantaged social environments were included only. The instrument administered assessed the knowledge and application of the particle model. Since it was used in previous data collections (studies on the understanding of the particle model in 12- to 18-year-olds), it was possible to compare present findings with those of earlier research. The results show that disadvantaged students’ achievements are significantly lower than that of a more general sample. Content analyses of the students’ answers show a significant presence of naïve beliefs and misconceptions in both age groups. The 6th graders’ explanations did not exceed the level of everyday experiences in many cases (e.g. understanding phenomena such as evaporation, boiling, and thermal expansion). In the 8th graders’ responses there appears the application of the particle model, but they frequently return to the continuous model of the structure of matter, mixing macroscopic, microscopic and symbolic levels, or inaccurately using basic scientific notions (atom, molecule, bond and state of matter). No significant differences were found by gender. There is a significant relationship between family background, academic achievement, thinking abilities and the success of conceptual change. The results highlight that knowledge acquisition and the reorganization of existing knowledge structures in the field of the structure of matter are very difficult processes. Helping these to occur in students with social disadvantage requires assiduous attention from instructors. |
| Summary | The meaningful learning of science and the processes of knowledge acquisition and conceptual change have become one of the topics most intensely investigated by science educators as well as cognitive and educational psychologists. Several thousand studies on students’ naive conceptions revealed a large body of data regarding several subject areas (Pfundt and Duit, 1994). Backgrounds and aims While earlier studies focused mainly on “cold” processes, the social constructivist approaches have recently emphasized the necessity to analyse the role of contextual, situational and motivational factors in the process of conceptual change (Pintrich, Marx and Boyle, 1993; Mason, 2001). The project presented here belongs to the domain-specific line of research on conceptual change. More specifically, it is based on the interpretation of conceptual change as a slow, gradual process of reorganisation (Vosniadou, 1994), but it is also informed by the work on the understanding of the structure of matter in the field of science education (Andersson, 1990). This study aimed at exploring the learning low-SES students regarding (1) the critical steps of knowledge reorganisation which occurs in the process of transition from the continuous model of matter toward the particle model, and (2) the connections between the understanding of the scientific model (the result of knowledge reorganization) and several variables (age, gender, family background, academic achievement, school related attitudes and thinking abilities). Since the test has been used in previous data collections (studies on the understanding of the particle model in 12- to 18-year-olds, Korom, 2003), it was possible to compare present findings with those of earlier research. Methods The sample comprised of two age groups: 6th graders (N=1017) and 8th graders (N=947) from 20 selected elementary schools operating in very difficult circumstances. In both age groups, the parents with low education (elementary or vocational school) were overrepresented compared to the data from a former sample, which approximated to the nationally representative distribution. According to teachers’ reports, the majority of students come from homes burdened with social problems and struggle with difficulties in learning and motivation. All of the participating students had been studying science subjects at the time of data collection. The 12-year-olds were taking integrated science, whereas the 14-year-olds had had two years of physics and one year of chemistry. The same test was administered to all students, but the test version for grade 6 was shorter, because it omitted topics (e.g. the structure of atoms and molecules) these students had not studied yet. The test assessed the knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of different states of matter and the explanation of simple physical phenomena (e.g. changes of states, thermal conduction, etc.). The phenomena were presented in everyday contexts (e.g. “Why does a graphite pencil leave a mark on paper?”). The data were analysed in two ways: (1) quantitative analysis, using a dichotomous scale; descriptive statistics and analyses based on the total score; (2) qualitative analysis, using a 6-point scale of content categories for student answers, expressing the proximity to scientific responses to the tasks. As the present research has been a part of a larger project, we had the chance of multivariate statistical analyses. Results The results show that the low SES students’ achievements in the both age groups are significantly lower (6th graders: x=35.8%, s=8.9, 8th graders: x=36.2%, s=9.9) than that of a more general sample (6th graders: x=40.7%, s=8.4; 8th graders: x=45.7%, s=12.2). The analysis revealed that disadvantaged students know the features of gases, fluids and solid materials well enough (6th graders: x=57.2%, 8th graders: x=71.2%), but they still struggle with the understanding of these features (e.g. why the particles of gases are in motion). The performance of the socially disadvantaged twelve-year-olds was similar to former findings (x=13.2%), but that of fourteen-year-olds was significantly lower (low-SES 8th graders x=18.2%; 8th graders in the former, more general sample: x=30.1%). Content analyses of the students’ answers show a significant presence of naïve beliefs and misconceptions in both age groups. 6th graders’ explanations did not exceed the level of everyday experiences in many cases (e.g. “we sense the smell of perfume because it is spreading in the air”). In 8th graders’ responses there appears the application of the particle model, but they frequently return to the continuous model of the structure of matter (e.g. only 7% of the students knew that there is vacuum between the particles of pure oxygen, the majority (54%) provided no answer, while 31% assumed that there is air or some kind of contamination). No significant differences were found by gender. The success of conceptual change significantly correlates with the mother’s education (r=0.222), academic achievement (r=0.394), inductive reasoning (r=0.464) and complex problem solving (r=0.422). A very weak correlation was found between science-subject attitudes and student performance. The results draw the attention to the inability of scientific education to help the transformation of the empirical notion of matter into a sophisticated particle concept in disadvantaged students. Therefore, in their case, addressing linguistic, learning and motivational difficulties that arise from their low social status is a prerequisite for any instructional program that aims to facilitate conceptual change. References Andersson, B. (1990): Pupils’ conceptions of matter and its transformations (age 12-16). Studies in Science Education, 18. 53-85. Korom, E. (2003): The particulate nature of matter: How understanding develops in 12-to 18-year-olds. Paper presented at the 10th European Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, August 26-30, 2003, Padova, Italy Mason, L. (2001): Introducing talk and writing for conceptual change: A classroom study. Learning and Instruction, 11, 305-329. Pfundt, H. and Duit, R. (1994): Bibliography: Students' alternative frameworks and science education. Kiel: Institute for Science Education at the University of Kiel. Pintrich, P. R., Marx , R. W. and Boyle, R. A. (1993): Beyond cold conceptual change: The role of motivational beliefs and classroom contextual factors in the process of conceptual change. Review of Educational Research, 6. 167-199. Vosniadou, S. (1994): Capturing and modeling the process of conceptual change. Learning and Instruction, 4, 45-69. |
| Keywords | Conceptual change Science education Socio-economic factors |
| Appendices | |
| Authors | ||||||
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| Name | Surname | Institution | Country | EARLI Number | Presenting | |
| Erzsebet | Korom | University of Szeged | Hungary | korom@edpsy.u-szeged.hu | * | |
