Conceptual change and knowledge integration as learning processes in higher education: A latent transition analysis

Abstract

Conceptual change, that is, a restructuring of incompatible prior knowledge, is a well investigated learning mechanism in school children's acquisition of new concepts. An understanding of academic concepts is also a central learning goal of higher education. However, there is almost no research on conceptual change and knowledge integration in higher education. We tracked 137 undergraduate psychology students' concepts of human memory longitudinally over four semesters. A latent profile transition analysis (LPTA) showed that the students' development followed six transition paths between four knowledge profiles. These developmental pathways were well-ordered, indicated a general trend from fragmented knowledge to integrated scientific knowledge, and correlated with the students' university grades and with an additional test of memory understanding. The findings highlight the importance of conceptual change, in particular, knowledge integration in higher education, and exemplify the usefulness of LPTA for modeling individual differences in longitudinal changes of multidimensional knowledge structures.