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The role of diverse instruction in conceptual change

2003; Elsevier BV; Volume: 86; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jecp.2003.09.002

1096-0457

Brett K. Hayes, Alison Goodhew, Evan Heit, Joanna Gillan,

Animal and Plant Science Education

This study examined how a fundamental principle of induction and scientific reasoning, information diversity, could be used to promote change in children's mental models of the earth's shape. Six-year-old children (N=132) were randomly allocated to a control or to one of two training conditions. Some training groups received instruction that simultaneously challenged children's beliefs concerning (a) why the earth appears flat to a surface observer and (b) the role of gravity. Others received instruction that repeatedly challenged only one of these beliefs. An adaptation of the Vosniadou and Brewer (1992, Cognitive Psychology 24, 535–585) protocol for identifying mental models of the earth was administered before and after instruction. Both instruction methods produced increases in factual knowledge. Only children receiving instruction about two core beliefs, however, showed an increased rate of acceptance of a spherical earth model at posttest. The findings show that instruction that challenges diverse aspects of children's naı̈ve scientific beliefs is more likely to produce conceptual change.