Myths in science: Children trust but do not retain their teacher's information

Abstract

Recent years have seen an unprecedented interest in the way children learn from the testimony of others, yet little research has been conducted on the role of the teacher as a source of information. In the current study, we presented a sample of 63 children aged 9–10 and 11–12 with incorrect scientific ideas (myths), to determine whether they accepted the correct scientific facts provided by their actual science teachers. This information was presented as a coherent and accessible narrative containing an explanation of the origins of the myth, and scientific facts that debunked the myth. Participants were also evaluated four weeks later to see whether they had retained the correct information. Results showed that most children accepted the information provided by their teachers immediately after receiving it. However, a month later, children from both age groups were prone to return to their prior inaccurate ideas.