The purpose of this research was to know what the effect of the use of multiple representations (MR) was in the development of the students' cognitive structures. This research was conducted in three Grade 12 classes, in a total of 68 students. A Word Association Test (WAT) was used as data collection instrument. The results from WAT show that…

Students often have difficulties understanding abstract physics concepts, such as solid friction. This study examines high school students' mental models of solid friction through a case study of 215 high school students in the ninth through twelfth grades. An achievement test with three open-ended questions was created, with questions limited to…

This paper provides a video-based learning process study that investigates the kinds of mental models of the atmospheric greenhouse effect 13-year-old learners have and how these mental models change with a learning environment, which is optimised in regard to instructional psychology. The objective of this explorative study was to observe and…

This study aimed to develop the small-scale experiments involving electrochemistry and the galvanic cell model kit featuring the sub-microscopic level. The small-scale experiments in conjunction with the model kit were implemented based on the 5E inquiry learning approach to enhance students' conceptual understanding of electrochemistry. The…

The purpose of this paper is to examine some mathemagenic activities that would transform the internal representations of learners' cognitive structure. The paper pointed out that understanding scientific concept involves the learner's role in translating instructive information into internal representation through the use of some mathemagenic…

Investigated were the connotative meanings of the concept "development" in respondents' cognitive structure using a free-association approach. The sample included 6th, 9th, and 11th grade students, student-teachers, and biology teachers. Reports a paucity of multicontextuality; the majority of subjects' associations referred to biology…

By studying many observations from recent research dealing with beginning physics students' conceptions about forces and motion, this investigation produced a framework within which this research can be organized. The framework summarizes the mechanisms of force invoked by students in particular situations, and it describes the features of…

This paper analyzes the misconceptions high school students have about force and suggests that the misunderstanding of Newton's third law is the key to these misconceptions. Clinical interview and diagnostic test data (N=104) indicates that many students have a naive view of force as an acquired or innate property of single objects rather than…

Identifies an induced incorrect generalization as a generative cause for the formation of misconception. Analyzes students' protocol of an exploratory learning experiment about the laws of reflection of light. Suggests recommendations for textbook, teaching, and practical work. (Author/YP)

Reports on a study designed to examine students' understanding of certain aspects of heat, pressure, and evolution. Results indicated that little change was apparent over the two-year period of the study, with most of the students in the 12 to 14 age range at the same conceptual level as the 14 to 16 year olds. (TW)

Described is the relative complexity of commonly used diagrams in science instruction. Student interpretations of diagrams, implications for science instruction and the prevention of science misconceptions is discussed. (CW)

Describes a diagnostic evaluation to measure the idea of the living cell as the basic unit of life. Describes the classification of student knowledge as common knowledge, wide-spread lack of knowledge, inadequate alternatives, and contradictions. (YP)

Reports on the results of an investigation into the understanding of the concepts of basic electricity by French students from grade six up through the fourth year of college. Discusses the misconceptions formed and the challenges these present to physics educators. (TW)

Discusses the causes and effects of conceptual errors inadvertently introduced and nurtured by scientists, teachers, and textbook writers. Cites ways to prevent the communication breakdowns that prevent the learning of science. (RT)

Recent research in cognitive science and science education suggests that science-naive individuals have an understanding of the natural world based on their interpretation of everyday experience. This can make the process of conceptual change difficult. This paper presents ideas related to the acquisition of knowledge in astronomy. A theoretical…