Scientific Misconceptions Research Articles

You can[’t] catch the sun in a net!: Children’s misinterpretations of educational science television

Many science television shows feature refutation narratives where characters speculate about the value of scientific misconceptions (e.g., the sun circles the earth) before learning factual information. Previous research suggests that young children misunderstand these stories, and the current study examined whether learning could be improved using interventions previously validated with adults. Children (N = 201) aged 4–7 years viewed a refutation narrative in its original form or in a modified format that lacked misconceptions or that contextualized those misconceptions with additional scaffolds. Although children’s comprehension of factual information was high across all conditions, their understanding of misconceptions depended on their prior knowledge. Specifically, children with low prior knowledge mistakenly identified misconceptions as intended factual lessons unless they viewed the story without misconceptions or with two forms of additional scaffolding. Conversely, children with high prior knowledge understood the original story best. These findings suggest that the inclusion of fantasy ideas in children’s science programming can disrupt learning for certain children and bolster learning for others.

The effects of a Full-Year Pedagogical Treatment Based on a Collaborative Learning Environment on 7<sup>th</sup> Graders’ Interest in Science and Technology and Conceptual Change

The growing popularity of collaboration in our school and its possible educational potential has led us tocarry out comparative research with 7th grade students. Using a longitudinal approach over an entire school year andusing a cross-lag design, we were able to test the effects of this learning environment on science misconceptions andinterest. Using two questionnaires, we were able to perform an analysis of the results showing a possible positivecausal link between collaborative learning and the development of scientific conception. However, we found no directconnection between collaborative learning and interest. The analysis of the cross-lag leads us to see conceptualchange as a mediator of the students' interest in science.

Designing and verifying a tool for diagnosing scientific misconceptions in genetics topic

The main purpose of this study was to design and verify the quality of an assessment aimed at diagnosing scientific misconceptions among students enrolled in 10th-grade biology subjects. A sample consisted of N=200 students from schools under the administration of the Office of Secondary Educational Service 31, Nakhon Ratchasima province. We employed the design-based approach, which consists of four phases, namely, construct map, item design, outcome space, and Wright map. Multidimensional Random Coefficient Multinomial Logit Model (MRCMLM) was used to evaluate the quality of the assessment tool. The assessment tool consists of two dimensions, namely, knowledge and reasoning. The assessment tool is comprised of 40 items, with 20 items tapping each of the dimensions. Findings form item analysis and modeling revealed sufficient evidence on the internal structure and validity of the instrument. It can be concluded that the unidimensional model is more appropriate than the multidimensional model for diagnosing scientific misconceptions in the genetics topic for dichotomously scored with four options in each item. The polytomous scored type should be further investigated to determine the best fit model in the items relating to evidence-based reasoning for supporting students’ answers.

Deep-Sea Misconceptions Cause Underestimation of Seabed-Mining Impacts

Scientific misconceptions are likely leading to miscalculations of the environmental impacts of deep-seabed mining. These result from underestimating mining footprints relative to habitats targeted and poor understanding of the sensitivity, biodiversity, and dynamics of deep-sea ecosystems. Addressing these misconceptions and knowledge gaps is needed for effective management of deep-seabed mining.

Development of an Inquiry-Based Science Learning Material Using Flash Card to Reduce Misconception of Elementary School Students

This study is development research with the aim the knowing of validity, effectiveness, and practicality of inquiry-based learning tools assisted by flashcard media to reduce misconceptions of elementary school students on light concept. Before and after the learning materials implemented, the pretest and posttest were carried out. Identification of students' misconceptions was utilized by using the three-tiers diagnostic test. The data analysis technique used quantitative descriptive. The results of the study showed: (1) The validity of the learning materials was declared to be very valid by the validator, (2) The practicality of the materials developed was declared practical by the observer in terms of aspects of the device's implementation and student activities in learning which were categorized very well, and (3) the effectiveness of the learning materials being developed was declared effective in terms of the application of the materials which had an impact on reducing students' misconceptions which initially amounted to 57.33% down to 17.33%. An Inquiry-based science learning device assisted with flashcard media that has been developed, was feasible with valid, practical, and effective criteria, and also can be used to reduce science misconceptions on elementary students on light material.

Scientific Communication Skills Profile of Prospective Science Teachers Based on Sociocultural Aspects

One of the essential skills for future science teacher candidates is scientific communication, while the background of sociocultural aspects influences communication which must have a scientific basis. This research aims to analyse the scientific communication skills of prospective science teacher based on sociocultural aspects. Quantitative survey research methods applied in this research, using a questionnaire as a data collection tool. The population in this research were students of natural science education programs at one of the state universities in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, while the samples are 87 students. The results of this study indicate that the sociocultural aspects of students vary with the characteristics of the area of origin, regional languages, different languages, regional cultures, and different social attitudes. The sociocultural aspects are specified in two levels, which are Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and More Knowledgeable Other (MKO). At the ZPD level, 67% of the students are in the intermediate criteria and 33% in the advanced criteria. While at the MKO level, the criteria are intermediate and advanced, with percentages almost equal to 49% and 51%, respectively. It was concluded that the profile of scientific communication skills of prospective science teacher based on sociocultural aspects was in the intermediate and advanced criteria. Students are indicated to experience “vernacular misconceptions” related to the sociocultural aspects of the use of various languages used in daily communication and writing. The frequency is dominated by the use of regional languages that are not relevant to scientific languages. Further research needs to be carried out on the identification of scientific misconceptions related to sociocultural aspects.

Do you believe what you have been told? Morality and scientific literacy as predictors of pseudoscience susceptibility

SummaryThe aim of the current study was to examine the antecedents of susceptibility to pseudoscientific information. Participants were asked to assess their perceived probability of and familiarity with statements containing popular science misconceptions and pseudoscientific claims, which were fabricated for the study. Measures of scientific literacy, moral inclinations, need for closure, and a set of additional variables were collected. Analysis of the results showed that susceptibility to known pseudoscientific theories predicted falling for novel unwarranted claims. Scientific literacy strongly predicted lower pseudoscience susceptibility of all types. Finally, participants' moral inclinations were found to be a strong predictor of different types of pseudoscientific statements.

Probiotics: Promise, Evidence, and Hope

Probiotics: Promise, Evidence, and Hope

Pre-service Science Teachers’ Reflections of Secondary Science Education: A Case Study of a University of Technology

This non-experimental exploratory survey examined pre-service science teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and professional identity as influenced by their secondary school years learning experiences. A convenience sample of 60 undergraduate science student teachers participated in this study. An open-ended questionnaire on secondary school science experiences survey regarding the influences of school years’ learning experiences on their current pedagogic practices. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and qualitative data were thematically analyzed. The findings suggest that pre-service science teachers perceive their self-efficacy as science teachers to be influenced by the teaching approaches used by their secondary school teachers to target learners’ interests which include making science relevant to life and targeting learners’ misconceptions in science. Similarly, they perceive the development of their professional identity to be influenced by their prior experiences as learners and observing their secondary school teachers’ affective domain including their enthusiasm and positive attitude toward science. Recommendations are made to teacher education programs to promote use of reflective journals.

Do We Experience Misconceptions?: An Ontological Review of Misconceptions in Science

A misconception is a misunderstanding in connecting a concept with other concepts, between new concepts and old concepts that are already in the minds of students, so that the wrong concepts are formed. Students' conceptions are different or contrary to the conceptions of the scientists. There are five kinds of misconceptions, namely: (a) preconceived notions; (b) non-scientific beliefs; (c) conceptual misunderstandings; (d) misconceptions of local languages (vernacular misconceptions); and (e) factual misconceptions. The causes of misconceptions are four parts: students, teachers, teaching materials or literature, context and teaching methods. It is expected that by knowing the types and causes of students' misconceptions in understanding science, it will be easier for teachers to find solutions in teaching science concepts. Examples of data related to misconceptions in physics are illustrated to reinforce explanations.

Remediation of misconception on straight line motion concept using guided inquiry model assisted by student worksheet based on science technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) on junior high school students

This study aims to remediate science misconceptions on the concept of straight line motion using guided inquiry models assisted by Student Worksheet Based on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This study uses an experimental method with one shoot case study technique. The test instrument in the form of three tiers multiple choice test questions was used to identify students’ misconceptions of straight line motion concept. The results showed that students’ misconceptions on straight line motion concept amounted to 47.30%. Remediation of science misconceptions through the implementation of guided inquiry models assisted by Student Worksheet Based on STEM showed the results of students’ concept understanding in the conceptual understanding category of 58.58%, misconceptions of 25.49%, guessed 3.19%, and did not understand 12.75%. It was concluded that the application of the guided inquiry model assisted by Student Worksheet Based on STEM could be applied as an alternative learning model to remediate science misconceptions.

The Impact of High School Life Science Teachers' Subject Matter Knowledge and Knowledge of Student Misconceptions on Students' Learning.

One of the foundational assumptions in education is that greater teacher knowledge contributes to greater gains in student knowledge, but empirical evidence in support of this assumption is scarce. Using a U.S. sample of 79 biology teachers and their 2749 high school students, we investigate whether teachers’ subject matter knowledge (SMK) and knowledge of students’ misconceptions (KOSM) in high school life science are associated with students’ posttest performance on multiple-choice test items designed to reveal student misconceptions, after controlling for their pretest scores. We found that students were more likely to answer an item on the posttest correctly if their teachers could answer the question correctly, themselves (SMK). Teachers’ ability to predict students’ most common wrong answer (KOSM) for an item predicted even better student performance. Items for which a particular wrong answer rose above others in popularity saw an even greater benefit for teacher KOSM.

Ignorance, misconceptions and critical thinking

In this paper we investigate ignorance in relation to our capacity to justify our beliefs. To achieve this aim we specifically address scientific misconceptions, i.e. beliefs that are considered to be false in light of accepted scientific knowledge. The hypothesis we put forward is that misconceptions are not isolated false beliefs, but rather form part of a system of inferences—an explanation—which does not match current scientific theory. We further argue that, because misconceptions are embedded in a system, they cannot be rectified simply by replacing false beliefs with true ones. To address our misconceptions, we must rather act on the system of beliefs that supports them. In the first step of our analysis, we distinguish between misconceptions that are easy to dispel because they represent simple errors that occur against the background of a correct explanatory apparatus and misconceptions that are, on the contrary, very difficult to dispel because they are the product of pseudo explanations. We show that, in the latter case, misconceptions constitute an integral part of an incorrect explanation and the reasons that support such misconceptions are deeply misleading. In the second step, we discuss various approaches that have been adopted to address the problem of misconceptions. Challenging the notion that directly addressing and criticizing specific misconceptions is an effective approach, we propose that critical thinking is the most fruitful means to deal with misconceptions. We define the core competences and knowledge relevant for the practice of critical thinking and discuss how they help us avoid misconceptions that arise from accepting beliefs that form part of a mistaken explanation.

O potencial educativo dos romances de ficção científica: leituras de Verne, Wells, Asimov e Clarke

Resumo Este artigo foi escrito para divulgar os principais caminhos e resultados de uma investigação acerca do potencial educativo da literatura de ficção científica. Partindo de sete categorias inspiradas na síntese de Pérez, Montoro, Alís, Cachapuz e Praia, da epistemologia de Fourez, e considerando os elementos do texto narrativo, como indicados por Gancho, buscamos compreender a forma como a ciência é representada em quatro romances clássicos do gênero. Dentre os resultados mais importantes destacamos diversas relações entre ciência, tecnologia e sociedade (CTS), que podem ser exploradas no contexto do ensino de ciências, para a formação do cidadão crítico e reflexivo com relação à própria ciência. Por essa razão, fortes conexões puderam ser traçadas entre esta pesquisa e a discussão que Santos e Mortimer fazem dos pressupostos teóricos da abordagem CTS.

예비 생물교사의 진화 개념에 대한 이해와 수업 내용 분석

In this study, it was investigated the understanding of evolution concept, analyzed scientific concepts and misconceptions in the class about evolution unit of pre-service biology teachers, and examined the correlation between evolution concepts and class contents of evolution. Participants were 31 students in the department of biology education(15 sophomores and 16 seniors). ACORNS was used as an evolution concept assessment tool. As a result of ACORNS, 4th graders had higher scores on scientific concept than 2nd graders, and the number of mentions per student was higher. The frequency of the 7 scientific concepts were different, and the frequency of the concepts of ‘overproduction of offspring’, ‘competition’, and ‘the heritability of variation’ was low. Misconceptions appeared significantly in the 2nd graders, and ‘teleological explanations’ was the most common. As a result of analyzing the contents of the class about evolution unit, the scientific concepts appeared more than the ACORNS result, and the frequency was significantly higher in the 4th graders than the 2nd graders like ACORNS case. The number of pre-service biology teachers who referred to each scientific concept and the number of mentions differed by concept, and the tendency was similar to that of ACORNS. The misconceptions were less than the ACORNS result. Unlike in ACORNS, ‘creationism’ and ‘scheduled direction’ misconceptions appeared, and an explanation that recognizes ‘evolution’ as another event following ‘natural selection’ appeared. The ACORNS scientific concept was highly correlated with the frequency of scientific concept emergence in class demonstration. It is suggested as follows. It is necessary to teach the scientific concepts of evolution explicitly and to provide an opportunity to develop methodological knowledge that conveys the content of the evolution topic. It is also necessary to diversify the contents of textbook related to evolution.

A Multistep Inquiry Approach to Improve Pre-Service Elementary Teachers’ Conceptual Understanding

A quasi-experimental control group pre- and post-test study was used to determine the effect of a Multi-Step Inquiry (MSI) approach on pre-service elementary school teacher’s conceptual understanding. The MSI study involved the development of a conceptual workbook, and a Physical Science Concept Inventory. The conceptual workbook has activities that explicitly target students’ misconceptions in physical science. The inventory has three categories: forces and motion, heat and temperature, and electricity. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to interpret the data. Independent t-tests were used to compare the experimental and comparison groups. Further, Cohen’s d and Hake’s g effect sizes were used to determine the effectiveness of MSI. Results indicated that the MSI approach as an effective teaching strategy for conceptual understanding. As such, the authors have made recommendations for both research and teaching.

Teachers' Misconceptions in Science: Implications for Developing a Remedial Teacher Training Program

Teachers' Misconceptions in Science: Implications for Developing a Remedial Teacher Training Program

Teachers’ Misconceptions in Science: Implications for Developing a Remedial Teacher Training Program

This study is designed to investigate future teachers’ misconceptions in heat and temperature concepts. The objectives of the study were to find out (i) misconceptions of future teachers in concepts of heat and temperature, (ii) to develop a counteractive teacher-training program for certain misconceptions and (iii) to establish the efficiency of treatment. The study sample was 96 prospective science teachers. Convenient sampling method was used in the study. Data from 96 respondents were collected in phase one of the study. Experimental treatment (lesson) based on the 5Es learning model was prepared in the second phase of the study and implemented in the third phase of research. A two tiers test, consisting of 12 items was used to collect data. Each tier was based on choices. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and t-test. The study explored the misconceptions of prospective teachers’ about heat and temperature concepts and established the importance of experimental treatment.

Misconception-Based Learning To Cement Learning

Location: JC Room G Every class has purpose but CLIM 102, Introduction to Global Climate Change Science, in particular because it serves to combat rife misinformation and misconceptions concerning climate change and provide America, and the world, with climate literate citizens. CLIM 102 is a 100-level Mason CORE class typically attended by students from a range of backgrounds, including non-science majors, interested in understanding global climate change, climate modeling, and meeting their natural science lab requirements. In order to cement the students understanding of the physical processes taught to them throughout the semester, we have introduced a climate change myth-busting theme and the culmination of the class with group myth-busting presentations. Students need to use the physical concepts they have been taught to effectively debunk a given climate change myth afflicting societal discourse. This activity is a misconception-based learning activity, an educational approach that teaches scientific concepts through the refutation of scientific misconceptions. This teaching approach has been tested across a range of disciplines and is regarded as one of the most powerful methods of teaching science, resulting in stronger student engagement, longer-lasting learning gains, and increased critical thinking skills. We will present this CLIM 102 myth-busting approach as a template that those from other disciplines could adapt within their classes. To further investigate the effectiveness of this approach we have begun evaluating it this semester (Spring 2019) with an IRB approved research study led by Dr. Cook. Our research will enable us to add to the body of knowledge on misconception-based learning, as well as explore different ways of introducing students to misconceptions. Our plan is to yield further theoretical insights, raise awareness of this approach in the education community, and develop best-practices recommendations. Participants will be able to use the example of its application to a climate change class as a template/starting point/inspiration for developing a similar activity in their own science class.

FAKTOR-FAKTOR PENYEBAB MISKONSEPSI SISWA SD PADA MATERI LIFE PROCESSES AND LIVING THINGS

AbstractThe misconception is a common problem in the world of science learning. This study aims to reveal the types and causes of primary science misconception in the life processes and living things. Therefore, qualitative case studies were used in this study and the primary school students were subject to this study. The results showed that students who had misconceptions in the concept of living, classification, breathing, and microbe and disease. In addition, the causes of student misconceptions were the students' pre-concepts, humanist thinking, false reasoning, and associative thinking. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that learning must promote cognitive conflict to correct the student’s misconceptions.Keywords: misconception, primary science