Constraints on Conceptual Change: How Elementary Teachers' Attitudes and Understanding of Conceptual Change Relate to Changes in Students' Conceptions

Like their students, teachers may hold a variety of naïve conceptions that have been hypothesized to limit their ability to support students' learning. This study examines whether changes in elementary students' conceptions are related to their teachers' content knowledge, attitudes,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of science teacher education 2013-11, Vol.24 (7), p.1219-1236
Main Author: Fulmer, Gavin W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitudes
Concept Formation
Conceptual change
Curricula
Education
Educational research
Educational Strategies
Elementary School Science
Elementary School Students
Elementary School Teachers
Elementary science curriculum
ELEMENTARY SCIENCE TEACHER EDUCATION
Interviews
Learning
Mixed Methods Research
Outcomes of Education
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Posttests
Pretests Posttests
Primary Education
Primary science
Questionnaires
Science Curriculum
Science Education
Science Instruction
Science Teachers
Scientific Concepts
Seasonal change
Seasons
Student attitudes
Students
Sun
Sundials
Teacher Attitudes
Teachers
Teaching
Teaching and Teacher Education
Teaching Methods
Units of Study
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Summary:Like their students, teachers may hold a variety of naïve conceptions that have been hypothesized to limit their ability to support students' learning. This study examines whether changes in elementary students' conceptions are related to their teachers' content knowledge, attitudes, and understanding of conceptual change. The study takes place in the context of the adoption of a new unit on seasonal change in which students build and use sundials to observe seasonal differences in the apparent motion of the Sun across the sky. A mixed-method approach is used. Data sources include pre- and post-tests for students and teacher interviews and questionnaires. Results indicate that changes in students' conceptions may be related to their teachers' knowledge of the content, attitudes toward science, and understanding of conceptual change. One teacher had low attitude toward science and limited knowledge of conceptual change. After instruction, her students' responses became less accurate but more homogeneous than before instruction. The other teacher had high attitude and moderate knowledge of conceptual change. Her students showed gains from pre- to post-test, including responses that were more scientifically accurate than the teachers' initial answers.
ISSN:1046-560X
1573-1847
DOI:10.1007/s10972-013-9334-3