Week 4: Misconceptions in Biology and how to address them

What are misconceptions?

Misconceptions are naive or alternate conceptions that students may have about a particular concept.

For example, water and carbon dioxide become the new mass as a seedling grows into a mature tree. Students intuitively disbelieve that carbon dioxide can become the mass of a tree. In addition, students understand that living things are made up of cells, but don't extend their understanding to include the concept that those cells are made up of atoms and molecules.

General strategies to address them

The common conceptual change approach

1)    Preparation and planning

2)    Exploration and clarification

3)    Challenge

4)    Investigation and exploration

5)    Reflection and revisiting

Module 9.2

Module 9.2 ‘Maintaining a Balance’ has information on the specialised organs required for uptake of nutrients, utilisation of energy and removal of waste. Since this is the first core module in the HSC course, addressing any misconceptions regarding plants- obtaining and using energy- should be addressed at the start of the HSC course for a better conceptual understanding. The prerequisite towards any conceptual changes is a comprehensive understanding of the topic by the teacher herself/himself.

1)    Preparation and planning

Teacher clarifies the focus of sequence by asking themselves the following question:

·                What is the purpose?

To have students correct their misconceptions themselves after a deeper understanding of the topic.

·                What conceptual outcomes am I aiming at?

plants- obtaining and using energy

·                What intuitive conceptions am I likely to encounter?

·                What effective probes exist?

Questioning

·                How will student understanding be assessed?

-A descriptive poster

-A group discussion and then one representative voicing the group’s notions,

-Further questioning

2)    Exploration and clarification

What are the students’ views on plants- obtaining and using energy?

The teacher has assigned a short true and false question set via a google docs spreadsheet for homework. The teacher now has a record of the students opinions.

Do you think the following statements are true or false? Write T for true and F for false.

1.   Plants obtain their energy directly from the sun.

2.   Plants have multiple sources of food (heterotrophic as well as autotrophic).

3.   Carbon dioxide, water, and minerals are food.

4.   Plants feed by absorbing food through their roots.

5.   Plants use heat from the sun as a source of energy for photosynthesis

6.   Sunlight is a food.

7.   Sunlight is composed of molecules.

8.   Sunlight is “consumed” in photosynthesis.

9.   Plants absorb water through their leaves.

10. Plants produce oxygen for our benefit.

3)    Challenge, investigation and exploration

The students now look at pictures of the process of photosynthesis, write equations etc.

4)    Application and extension

The students test the validity of different answers by seeking evidence. Students are also encouraged to carry out investigations to explore the statements. Investigations may include reading books and journal articles, conduction first-hand experiments, talking to experts or observations.

5)    Reflection and revisiting

In this final phase, students evaluate their learning by comparing what they have now understood and learned to what they initially believed. Students can be asked to justify their new answers to confirm their understanding.

References:

Berthelsen, B. (1999). Students Naïve Conceptions in Life Science.   MSTA Journal, 44(1) pp. 13-19. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20001019004741/http://gamstcweb.gisd.k12.mi.us/msta/journal.spring99/naive_concepts.html

Dawson, V., Venville, G. (2004). The art of teaching science. Crows Nest, Australia: Allen and Unwin.

Board of Studies. (2009). Biology Stage 6 Syllabus. NSW: Board of studies. Retrieved from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/biology-st6-syl-from2010.pdf