Chapter 6, page 63
CHAPTER 6
Students’ Prior Conceptions and How They Affect Learning
Chapter OutlineReflecting on Students’ Thinking
How Do Prior Conceptions Affect Learning?
Consistent Prior Conceptions
Schemas
How consistent schemas affect learning
Consistent prior conceptions without schemas
Implications for instruction
Alternative Conceptions
How alternative conceptions emerge
Are learners’ alternative conceptions coherent?
The importance of understanding students’ alternative
conceptions
Alternative conceptions can interfere with both understanding
and belief
Implications for instruction
Novice Conceptions
Few concepts that are poorly interconnected
Organization by surface similarity
Implications for instruction
Conceptual Resources
Knowledge of relevant evidence
Conceptions from previously learned topics
Conceptions derived from previous experiences
Conceptions about analogical situations
Implications for instruction
Conceptions about Learning and about Knowledge
Conceptions about learning
Conceptions about knowledge
Implications for instruction
Finding Out About Students’ Prior Conceptions
Extensions
Development
Cultural and linguistic diversity
Students with learning disabilities
Summary
Application ProblemsApplied goalsExplain how students’ ideas differ from
ideas that are the goal of instruction.Explain why students may have difficulty
remembering and understanding new
ideas, and why they may not believe what
they are learning.Analyze students’ talk and work to work
out what students’ prior conceptions.Predict how students’ prior conceptions
will affect learning.Develop basic forms of instruction that
foster the use of consistent conceptions,
address alternative conceptions, encourage
more expert conceptions, and build on
conceptual resources.