Preconceptions Summary
Student preconceptions (misconceptions, naïve understandings) are important for teachers to uncover, address, challenge and extend. These are commonly held (but not always scientifically accurate) ideas that children bring to the classroom. Students come to school with ideas about the world and science principles because of experiences and observations that have helped to shape those beliefs. Learners hang onto those ideas until multiple experiences cause them to question previously-held beliefs and to form new explanations.
Educators need to discover student preconceptions and be aware of the related scientifically accurate ideas. It is the teacher’s role to facilitate learning experiences that challenge inaccurate ideas, solidify developing ideas, and reinforce and extend scientifically accepted ideas. Knowing student preconceptions helps educators to ask probing questions and craft experiences to move students along to greater science understanding.
Below is a summary of the preconceptions and scientifically accurate ideas related to the Structures of Life unit:
Preconceptions about plant reproduction:
There is no correlation between the function of flowers and beauty, seeds need to be bought to grow more plants and fruit is solely for humans to eat.
Scientifically Accepted Ideas:
The plant life cycle is a complex process where plants disperse seeds, which grow into an adult plant, flower during its reproductive cycle, and produce seeds to propagate more plants.
Preconceptions about Plant Reproduction:
The seed is a separate being from the plant, and it is a continuous source of food and energy.
Scientifically Accepted Ideas:
The seed provides a finite food source for plants when they are in their embryonic stages of growth.
Preconceptions about Plant as Organisms:
Plants are something between living and inanimate that does not respire, eat or reproduce.
Plants originate in shops, factories, and through the planting efforts of humans.
Scientifically Accepted Ideas:
Plants are living organisms that respire, reproduce, make their own food and will exist entirely without humans.
Preconceptions about Organisms:
Organisms have "human emotions" based on their "inner needs". They have an anthropomorphic perception of life.
Scientifically Accepted Ideas:
Organisms have to obtain food, water and other necessities in order to survive.
Preconceptions about the word “animal”:
Students may have a restricted view of an animal, and often classify according to a single criteria such as, structure (number of legs), movement, and other perceptual cues.
Scientifically Accepted Ideas:
The term 'animal' is a general concept.
An organism is classified in terms of accepted biological criteria, which have more abstract, implicitly suggested attributes
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