Abstract
Problems with understanding concepts and mechanisms connected to plant movements have been diagnosed among biology students. Alternative conceptions in understanding these phenomena are marginally studied. The diagnosis was based on a sample survey of university students and their lecturers, which was quantitatively and qualitatively exploratory in nature (via a questionnaire). The research was performed in two stages, before and after the lectures and laboratory on plant movements. We diagnosed eight alternative conceptions before the academic training started. After the classes, most were not been verified, and in addition, 12 new conceptions were diagnosed. Additionally, we report that teachers are not aware of students’ possible misunderstandings. They do not perceive students’ troubles with switching between levels of representations, nor their alternative conceptions. A case of “curse of knowledge” was observed and academic teacher training is recommended. Additionally, the need for metacognition as a crucial element in laboratory activities seems supported by our presented results. Such metacognition refers to students as well as teachers, which leads to the conclusion that teachers should be aware of students’ way of thinking and the development of knowledge in one’s own mind.
Highlights
According to constructivist theory, learning is an active process in which students build their knowledge individually through combining experience, information from the environment, social interactions, understandings arising through language, etc
Teachers were asked to provide information about, among other things, in what form were their students acquainted with the phenomena of phototropism and gravitropism, what were the most common mistakes made by students when discussing these processes, and what are the causes of students’ problems in understanding the tropism concept
In what form(s) were the students acquainted with the phenomena of phototropism and gravitropism?
Summary
According to constructivist theory, learning is an active process in which students build their knowledge individually through combining experience, information from the environment, social interactions, understandings arising through language, etc. What is difficult for teachers is that sometimes one’s individual ideas may seem incoherent. One child may use different conceptions to explain the same process, even when the arguments they use seem to conflict. Another difficulty is that students’ alternative conceptions can remain even after they have been taught the scientifically correct fact or process [1].
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