Breaking Through the Barriers to Student Learning Jake Burgoon NWO Symposium 2009

A lesson on heat began with the question, “What is heat?” The students said that heat came from the sun and from our bodies One student spoke up about the heat in sweaters, and everyone agreed that sweaters were hot … and hats and rugs, too! The teacher decided to let the students find out

The students placed thermometers inside sweaters, hats, and a rolled-up rug After 15 minutes, the temperature didn’t increase, so one student suggested to leave it overnight The students predicted three-digit temperatures the next day But the students came in the next morning and found the temperature to be the same “Cold air got in somehow” “We didn’t leave them in there long enough”

One student decided to seal the hat, with a thermometer, inside a plastic bag Other students put their sweaters in closets or desks Again, the next day, the students found that the temperature had not changed One student wanted to put the hat and thermometer in a metal box and leave it for a year Surely the temperature would change then!

After some discussion, the teacher offered the students two theories: Heat could come from almost anything, even hats and sweaters. In measuring this heat, we are sometimes fooled because we’re really measuring the cold air that gets inside Heat comes mostly from the sun and our bodies and is trapped inside winter clothes that keep our body heat in and keep the cold air out Most students chose the second theory, and decided to test it by putting thermometers in their hats during recess

Students come into the classroom with their own conceptions about the natural world These conceptions are: Explanatory Re-confirmed by everyday experiences Students are often resistant to give up these ideas Changing students’ initial conceptions can be a long process

How can people live on this spherical earth without falling down? How can the earth be spherical and flat at the same time? o Astronomical object o Spherical o Unsupported o Gravity towards the center of the earth o Physical object o Flat o Supported o Up/down gravity

Everyday Experiences Classroom instruction Students draw conclusions that were not intended Lesson design Prior experience Incorrect explanations Textbooks

STUDENTS TEACHERS

1. Mastering science content 2. Being aware of your students’ misconceptions 3. Addressing misconceptions with instruction

Lack of content knowledge = inadvertently providing students with scientifically incorrect information Teachers (and other adults) often have the same misconceptions as students

Compare the masses of the three containers FROZENHEATED ROOM TEMPERATURE Greatest mass 42% Least mass 37%

50% 33%

In order to correct student misconceptions, you must FIRST know what they are Dive into the research AAAS Benchmarks, Making Sense of Secondary Science Formative assessments Your students may have unique ideas

The most important factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly. David Ausubel Assess before, during, and after lessons Formative assessments should elicit students’ explanations and personal theories about concepts More than true/false or yes/no

Ensures that you are giving your students EXACTLY what they need Align your instruction to their misconceptions Lessons are slightly modified each year

Help students overcome misconceptions Use misconceptions to guide instruction Become aware of student misconceptions Formative assessment Increase student learning

Hands-on Sorting activities Writing things down Written probes Watching cartoons or viewing comics Science Concept Comics Animated Cartoons

Don’t put the coat on the snowman – it will melt him! I think it will keep him cold, and stop him from melting. I don’t think the coat will make any difference.

1) Dissatisfaction with existing conceptions o Cognitive conflict o Difficult to achieve! 2) New conception must be intelligible 1) New conception must appear plausible 1) New conception must seem fruitful

Discrepant events Demonstrations Experimental activities The power of PREDICTION Critiques: Students do not see the conflict Students become discouraged

1) Dissatisfaction with existing conceptions o Cognitive conflict o Difficult to achieve! 2) New conception must be intelligible o Understanding terms and symbols o Internal representation of concept 3) New conception must appear plausible o Not counter-intuitive o Consistent with personal theory or past experiences 4) New conception must seem fruitful

Spring pushes on hand Foam pushes on book Flexible board pushes on book Table pushes on book Initial Conception: A table cannot push up on a book

1) Dissatisfaction with existing conceptions o Cognitive conflict o Difficult to achieve! 2) New conception must be intelligible o Understanding terms and symbols o Internal representation of concept 3) New conception must appear plausible o Not counter-intuitive o Consistent with personal theory or past experiences 4) New conception must seem fruitful o Resolves dissatisfaction o Potential of concept to lead to new insights and discoveries

Metaconceptual awareness Adults are more likely to change their conceptions Intentional learning Epistemological beliefs (what is knowledge?) Simple and certain Complex and continuously evolving Makes a difference in students’ responses to conflicting evidence

Making Sense of Secondary Science: Research Into Children’s Ideas by Rosiland Driver Student misconceptions about numerous topics Benchmarks for Science Literacy by AAAS Project 2061 Chapter 15 is called “Research Base” On-line at ex.php A Private Universe

Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It by William Robertson Chemistry; Air, Water and Weather; Electricity and Magnetism; Energy; Force and Motion; Light; Sound Science For All Americans by AAAS Science Matters: Achieving Scientific Literacy by Robert Hazen and James Trefil

Uncovering Student Ideas in Science (Volumes 1 to 4) by Page Keeley 100 total formative assessment probes Science Formative Assessment: 75 Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning by Page Keeley