Concept substitution: A teaching strategy for helping students disentangle related physics concepts

American Journal of Physics

Volumn 72, Issue 8, 2004, Pages 1126-1133

  Grayson, Diane J ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA   (South Africa)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 4344606659     PISSN: 00029505     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1119/1.1764564     Document Type: Article

References (41)

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18. L. C. McDermott and P. Shaffer, "Research as a guide for curriculum development: An example from introductory electricity. Part I: Investigation of student understanding," Am. J. Phys. 60(11), 994-1003 (1992) ; D. Shipstone, "Electricity in simple circuits," in Children's Ideas in Science, edited by R. Driver, E. Guesne, and A. Tiberghien (Open University Press, Milton Keynes, 1985), pp. 33-51; D. M. Shipstone, C. von Rhöneck, W. Jung, C. Kärrqvist, J. J. Dupin, S. Johsua, and P. Licht, "A study of students' understanding of electricity in five European countries," Int. J. Sci. Educ. 10(3), 303-316 (1988) ; A. A. Tiberghien, "Critical review on the research aimed at elucidating the sense that the notions of electric circuits have for students aged 8 to 20 years," in Research on Physics Education, Proceedings of the First International Workshop, LIRESPT, Université de Paris VII (éditions du CRNS, Paris, France, 1984), pp. 109-123.
19. L. C. McDermott and P. Shaffer, "Research as a guide for curriculum development: An example from introductory electricity. Part I: Investigation of student understanding," Am. J. Phys. 60(11), 994-1003 (1992) ; D. Shipstone, "Electricity in simple circuits," in Children's Ideas in Science, edited by R. Driver, E. Guesne, and A. Tiberghien (Open University Press, Milton Keynes, 1985), pp. 33-51; D. M. Shipstone, C. von Rhöneck, W. Jung, C. Kärrqvist, J. J. Dupin, S. Johsua, and P. Licht, "A study of students' understanding of electricity in five European countries," Int. J. Sci. Educ. 10(3), 303-316 (1988) ; A. A. Tiberghien, "Critical review on the research aimed at elucidating the sense that the notions of electric circuits have for students aged 8 to 20 years," in Research on Physics Education, Proceedings of the First International Workshop, LIRESPT, Université de Paris VII (éditions du CRNS, Paris, France, 1984), pp. 109-123.
20. L. C. McDermott and P. Shaffer, "Research as a guide for curriculum development: An example from introductory electricity. Part I: Investigation of student understanding," Am. J. Phys. 60(11), 994-1003 (1992) ; D. Shipstone, "Electricity in simple circuits," in Children's Ideas in Science, edited by R. Driver, E. Guesne, and A. Tiberghien (Open University Press, Milton Keynes, 1985), pp. 33-51; D. M. Shipstone, C. von Rhöneck, W. Jung, C. Kärrqvist, J. J. Dupin, S. Johsua, and P. Licht, "A study of students' understanding of electricity in five European countries," Int. J. Sci. Educ. 10(3), 303-316 (1988) ; A. A. Tiberghien, "Critical review on the research aimed at elucidating the sense that the notions of electric circuits have for students aged 8 to 20 years," in Research on Physics Education, Proceedings of the First International Workshop, LIRESPT, Université de Paris VII (éditions du CRNS, Paris, France, 1984), pp. 109-123.
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23. The strategy of separating out the notions of energy and current also has been used successfully by Johsua and Dupin, but they used it in the con text of a modeling analogy. See S. Johsua and J. J. Dupin, "Taking into account student conceptions in instructional strategy: An example in physics," Cogn. Instruct. 4(2), 117-135 (1987).
24. D. J. Grayson, "Concept substitution: A strategy for promoting conceptual change," in Improving Teaching and Learning in Science and Mathematics, edited by D. F. Treagust, R. Duit, and B. J. Fraser (Teachers College Press, New York, 1996), pp. 152-161.
25. L. C. McDermott and P. Shaffer, "Research as a guide for curriculum development: An example from introductory electricity. Part II: Design of instructional strategies," Am. J. Phys. 60(11), 1003-1013 (1992).
26. I use the term "intermediate conception" to indicate a conception that may have elements of both an alternative conception and the scientific concept. As such, it would not be regarded as scientifically correct. This use is different from Brown and Clement's intermediate concepts,.which they define as, "stepping stones to the physicist's more abstract and general concepts." Their intermediate concepts are correct but less elegant or powerful than scientific concepts.
27. A. G. Harrison, D. J. Grayson, and D. F. Treagust, "Investigating a Grade 11 student's evolving conceptions of heat and temperature," J. Res. Sci. Teach. 36(1), 55-87 (1999).
28. See, for example, A. Arons, A Guide to Introductory Physics Teaching (Wiley, New York, 1990), and Ref. 4.
29. J. Clement, D. E. Brown, and A. Zietsman, "Not all preconceptions are misconceptions: Finding 'anchoring conceptions' for grounding instruction on students' intuitions," Int. J. Sci. Educ. 11, 554-565 (1989) ; S. Johsua and J. J. Dupin, "Taking into account student conceptions in instructional strategy: An example in physics," Cogn. Instruct. 4(2), 117-135 (1987); D. Hammer, "Student resources for learning introductory physics," Am. J. Phys. 68(7), S52-S59 (2000).
30. J. Clement, D. E. Brown, and A. Zietsman, "Not all preconceptions are misconceptions: Finding 'anchoring conceptions' for grounding instruction on students' intuitions," Int. J. Sci. Educ. 11, 554-565 (1989) ; S. Johsua and J. J. Dupin, "Taking into account student conceptions in instructional strategy: An example in physics," Cogn. Instruct. 4(2), 117-135 (1987); D. Hammer, "Student resources for learning introductory physics," Am. J. Phys. 68(7), S52-S59 (2000).
31. J. Clement, D. E. Brown, and A. Zietsman, "Not all preconceptions are misconceptions: Finding 'anchoring conceptions' for grounding instruction on students' intuitions," Int. J. Sci. Educ. 11, 554-565 (1989) ; S. Johsua and J. J. Dupin, "Taking into account student conceptions in instructional strategy: An example in physics," Cogn. Instruct. 4(2), 117-135 (1987); D. Hammer, "Student resources for learning introductory physics," Am. J. Phys. 68(7), S52-S59 (2000).
32. A. A. diSessa, "Phenomenology and the Evolution of Intuition," in Mental Models, edited by D. Gentner and A. L. Stevens (Lawrence Erlbaum, Hillsdale, N.J., 1983), pp. 15-33.
33. D. Hammer, in Ref. 25.
34. J. Clement, "Students' preconceptions in introductory mechanics," Am. J. Phys. 50(1), 66-71 (1982) ; I. A. Halloun and D. Hestenes, "Common sense concepts about motion," ibid. 53(11), 1056-1065 (1985).
35. J. Clement, "Students' preconceptions in introductory mechanics," Am. J. Phys. 50(1), 66-71 (1982) ; I. A. Halloun and D. Hestenes, "Common sense concepts about motion," ibid. 53(11), 1056-1065 (1985).
36. D. J. Grayson, "Concept substitution: An instructional strategy for promoting conceptual change," Res. Sci. Educ. 24, 102-111 (1994).
37. In Ref. 20, pp. 152-161.
38. For a much more detailed treatment illustrating the complexities of the process of conceptual change, see Ref. 23.
39. P. Hewson and R. Thorley, "The conditions of conceptual change in the classroom," Int. J. Sci. Educ. 11(5), 541-553 (1989).
40. J. Minstrell, "Teaching science for understanding," in Toward the Thinking Curriculum: Current Cognitive Research, edited by L. B. Resnick and L. E. Klopfer (ASCD, Alexandria, VA, 1989), pp. 129-149.
41. D. R. Sokoloff, R. Thornton, and P. Laws, RealTime Physics (Wiley, New York, 1999).