Teaching Science

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that significant advances in scientific knowledge has refuted many misconceptions about the solar system but these mistaken beliefs persist especially among students between the ages of 11 and 14. The author stresses the importance of correcting their misconceptions as they advance through school so that they can be prepared for the more advanced high school and college science and astronomy courses. The paper indicates that using lab studies, experiments and continued learning outside of the classroom are all measures that can prove useful in replacing misconceptions about the solar system with fact.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Some of the Misconceptions
Literature Review
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Concepts related to the force of gravity were demonstrated with hands-on activities utilizing a rubber sheet to represent the "fabric" of space and spherical objects to represent various celestial bodies. Demonstrations of planetary motions, both revolutions and rotations, involved the hands-on use of Styrofoam planets and moons, as well as a stationary light bulb to represent the sun. The students went through a five day class to refute the misconceptions and then the same questions were asked to determine if they held onto the misconceptions or replaced the knowledge in their minds with scientific facts."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Baxter, J. (1991). A constructivist approach to astronomy in the national curriculum. Physics Education, 26,38-45.
• Bishop, B., & Anderson, C. (1990). Student conceptions of natural selection and its role in evolution. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 27,415-427.
• Jimenez, M. (1992). Thinking about theories or thinking with theories: A classroom study with natural selection. International Journal of Science Education, 14,51-61.
• Lawson, A. (1993). Deductive reasoning, brain maturation, and scientific concept acquisition: Are they linked? Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 30, 1029-1051.
• McManus, P. (1988). Good companions: More on the social determination of learning related behavior in a science museum. International Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship, 6, 263-270.

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