Journal article
Students’ understanding of the emergent processes of natural selection: the need for ontological conceptual change
International Journal of Science Education, Vol.42(9), pp.1485-1502
2020
Abstract
The topic of natural selection presents challenges to high school students since it requires understanding of an emergent process, which is a missing schema for most students. Many interventions for teaching natural selection have limited effect in bringing about substantial ontological conceptual change. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a series of lessons to build understanding of natural selection as an emergent process. A conceptual change approach enabled students to develop explanations through their transfer of understanding when producing a series of student-generated representations, culminating in elaborated written explanations of evolutionary scenarios. This process was supported through small-group social construction of understanding, Socratic questioning in whole class discussions and teacher feedback. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare conceptual change in experimental and comparison grade 10 classes using pre/post tests and analysis of written explanations. Results showed significantly greater conceptual change in the experimental class than the comparison class in pre/post tests and adoption of many aspects of the scientific ontological model in written explanations. This approach may be further developed as a method for supporting high school students’ understanding of this difficult topic.
Details
- Title
- Students’ understanding of the emergent processes of natural selection: the need for ontological conceptual change
- Authors/Creators
- F. McLure (Author/Creator)M. Won (Author/Creator)D.F. Treagust (Author/Creator)
- Publication Details
- International Journal of Science Education, Vol.42(9), pp.1485-1502
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Identifiers
- 991005541957707891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch University
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Citation topics
- 6 Social Sciences
- 6.11 Education & Educational Research
- 6.11.295 Science Education
- Web Of Science research areas
- Education & Educational Research
- ESI research areas
- Social Sciences, general