Young Children Learning about Living Things: A Case Study of Conceptual Change from Ontological and Social Perspectives

Autor/in	Venville, Grady
Titel	Young Children Learning about Living Things: A Case Study of Conceptual Change from Ontological and Social Perspectives
Quelle	In: Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 41 (2004) 5, S.449-480 (32 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0022-4308
DOI	10.1002/tea.20011
Schlagwörter	Change Strategies; Concept Formation; Child Development; Biological Sciences; Case Studies; Learning Processes; Theories; Beliefs; Classroom Environment; Teaching Methods; Science Instruction; Elementary Education + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lösungsstrategie; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung; Kindesentwicklung; Abwasserbiologie; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Learning process; Lernprozess; Theory; Theorie; Belief; Glaube; Klassenklima; Unterrichtsklima; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Elementarunterricht
Abstract	Although research from a developmental/psychological perspective indicates that many children do not have a scientific understanding of living things, even by the age of 10 years, little research has been conducted about how students learn this science topic in the classroom. This exploratory research used a case-study design and qualitative data-collection methods to investigate the process of conceptual change from ontological and social perspectives when Year 1 (5- and 6-year-old) students were learning about living things. Most students were found to think about living things with either stable, nonscientific or stable, scientific framework theories. Transitional phases of understanding also were identified. Patterns of conceptual change observed over the 5-week period of instruction included theory change and belief revision as well as reversals in beliefs. The predominant pattern of learning, however, was the assimilation of facts and information into the students' preferred framework theory. The social milieu of the classroom context exposed students' scientific and nonscientific beliefs that influenced other individuals in a piecemeal fashion. Children with nonscientific theories of living things were identified as being least able to benefit from socially constructed, scientific knowledge; hence, recommendations are made for teaching that focuses on conceptual change strategies rather than knowledge enrichment. (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10