Over the last three decades, many studies have been conducted to identify students' preconceptions on various science topics. It is time now for a synthetic study of preconceptions to enhance our understanding of students' everyday cognition and to benefit our effort in developing effective instructional inventions for conceptual change. Through a…

Administered a questionnaire containing common earth/space science alternative conceptions to preservice elementary teachers (n=122). Suggests that many misconceptions originate in the classroom and that preservice elementary education teachers have many of the same misconceptions that their future students will have. (35 references) (Author/JRH)

Presents a model to analyze conceptual evolution in the classroom, based on the notion of conceptual profile. Suggests that it is possible to use different ways of thinking in different domains, a new concept does not necessarily replace previous ideas, and learning science is to change a conceptual profile and become conscious of different zones…

Investigated was the influence of an instructional strategy to help freshmen undergraduate students overcome misconceptions regarding the nature of evolutionary theory. Discusses the strategy that included writing statements, small group discussion, teacher presentation, interactive lecture/discussion, and individual reflections. (YP)

Presented are the results of a study of high school and college students concerning their thinking about functions of the human body. It was shown that students' thinking could be positively changed over the short term from teleologic to mechanistic. Sample survey questions are included. (CW)

In most research that investigates factors influencing the success of analogies in instruction, an underlying assumption is that students have little or no knowledge of the target situation. It is interesting to ask what factors influence the success of analogies when students believe they understand the target situation. If this understanding is…

Explores the relationships between seventh-grade students' misconceptions of genetics and natural selection and four cognitive variables: reasoning ability; mental capacity; verbal intelligence; and cognitive style. Reports that only the reasoning ability was significantly related to the number of misconceptions. (Author/YP)

Discusses the correctness of the directions of acceleration at various points in a pendulum problem shown in Reif (1987). Provides the author's responses to the comments on the problem. (YP)

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…

Reviewed are findings on misconceptions in mechanics and their instructional implications. Many misconceptions are widespread and resistant to change but students have useful intuitions and reasoning processes that could be used more fully. One strategy for dealing with misconceptions is described. It stresses anchoring intuitions, analogical…

Described is a computer tutor designed to help students gain a qualitative understanding of important physics concepts. The tutor simulates a teaching strategy called "bridging analogies" that previous research has demonstrated to be successful in one-on-one tutoring and written explanation studies. The strategy is designed to remedy…

Described a probe that can assess the learners' understanding of scientific ideas in conditions that do not demand closure on a single interpretation, and where learners can demonstrate certainty or otherwise in several possible alternatives. Can be used in monitoring conceptual change when intuitive understanding of scientific phenomena is to be…

Described are the results of a conceptual physics survey given to a small group of high school physics students with the goal of identifying common misconceptions held by students. Three common misconceptions were identified and are discussed in detail. (CW)

This paper provides a framework for examining the role of argumentation and thinking and is consistent with the research on pedagogical and theoretical misconceptions. The focus is on presenting a framework to discuss and illustrate how argumentation is related to social thinking (dialogic reasoning) and conceptual change, and provide common…

The purpose of this study was to: (1) investigate the relationship between the learning approaches of high school students, their prior knowledge, and their attitudes toward chemistry, and their performance on a misconceptions test; and (2) describe and analyze the differences between the responses of students of different learning approaches on…