Conceptual change through processual change

Author(s):

Astrid Wasmann-Frahm

Conference:

ECER 2008

Network:

16. ICT in Education and Training

Format:

Poster

Session Information

MC_Poster, Poster Session; Main Conference

All Poster are presented in the two Poster Sessions of ECER 2008: - 11 September 12.15 - 13.15 and - 12 September 12.15 - 13.15

Time:

2008-09-11

12:15-13:15

Room:

Poster Exhibition Area

Chair:

Contribution

Classification is regarded by psychologists as an important aspect of the cognitive process as pupils aquire the ability of constructing concepts that are integrated and memorised in the semantic memory. They build a network of mental representations. These concepts are important elements of knowledge. Conceptualizing the concepts of vertebrates represents a well known learning difficulty since the pupils come with preconcepts. Even if the preconcepts are biologically wrong they continue to exist in pupils’ mind. It is proved in many publications that an explicite classification can improve the students’ general ability in classification. as a learning method serves as a tool for conceptualizing the vertebrate classes. It is based on the theory orientated hybrid model of conceptualization that proposes two independently working processes, the associative and the explanatory part. Both are active during a classification process and interact. Another important element in this approach is the natural history of the vertebrates. The understanding of classification helps pupils to construct the concepts and categorisation of vertebrates. The learning arrangement stimulates conceptual change processes. The processual change of similarity based classification to rule based classification stimulates the conceptual change of vertebrate concepts.

Method

This study persued the question whether an enhancement of the method combined with natural history information fosters conceptual change of conceptions. An intervention of three fifth grade classes (two experimental and one control group, n = 76) was performed. The introduction into the method of classification represented the main part of a teaching sequence about vertebrates. A two part classification test was developped to obtain results about the working of the two classification processes in the classroom. The first part consisted of an associative test with animal pictures, the second part contained information about the same animals to classify once more. A pre-, post- and followup-test design was constructed and statisically evaluated.

Expected Outcomes

The results confirm that students change from everyday to theory-based classification. The data show that classification of vertebrates is significantly better than in the control group. It can be deducted that teaching the comparision method enhances the classification of living organisms and the class concepts of vertebrates. This learning effect was still recognizable six months later. It is likely to resume that the training of classification fosters a conceptual change of vertebrate concepts.

References

Braund, M. (1991). Children´s ideas in classifying animals. Journal of Biological Education 25(2): 103-110. Duit, R. (2000). Konzeptwechsel und Lernen in den Naturwissenschaften in einem mehrperspektivischen Ansatz. Ergebnisse fachdidaktischer und psychologischer Lehr-Lern-Forschung. R. Duit, von Rhöneck, C. Kiel, IPN. 169: 77-103. Hammann, M. and H. Bayrhuber (2003). Formenvielfalt vergleichen: Eine Instruktionsstudie in Klasse 6. Biowissenschaften in Schule und Öffentlichkeit. R. Klee and H. H. Bayrhuber. Innsbruck, Studienverlag. Hammann, M., Bayrhuber, H. (2000). Biodiversity and the comparative method a teaching intervention at age 11-12. Proceedings of IV th Conference of ERIDOB, Santiago de Compostela, Imprenta Universitaria Santiago de Compostela. Hampton, J. A. (1998). Similarity-based categorization and fuzziness of natural categories. Cognition 65: 137-165. Kattmann, U. and A. Schmitt (1996). Elementares Ordnen: Wie Schüler Tiere klassifizieren. Zeitschrift für Didaktik der Naturwissenschaften 2(2): 21-38. Keil, F. C., W. C. Smith, et al. (1998). Two dogmas of conceptual empiricism: Implications for hybrid models of the structure of knowledge. Cognition 65: 103-135. Ryman, D. (1974). Childrens´ understanding of the classification of living organisms. Journal of Biological Education 8(3): 140-144. Sloman, S. A. and L. J. Rips (1998). Similarity as an explanatory construct. Cognition 65: 87-101. Wasmann-Frahm, A. (2006a). Vergleichen und Ordnen von Tieren - Wirbeltiere im Zusammenhang unterrichten. Praxis der Naturwissenschaften, Biologie in der Schule 55(1): 30-38. Wasmann-Frahm, A. (2006b). Aufgaben für eine neue Lernkultur. Praxis der Naturwissenschaften, Biologie in der Schule 55(2): 32-38.

Author Information

Astrid Wasmann-Frahm

Klaus-Groth Schule

Groß Nordende

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