Educational Psychology

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the idea that girls are less talented at math or science than are boys, even though research generally finds this is not
the case (Hyde & Linn, 2006).

Table 34: Several misconceptions about science

Misconception What to do

Stars and constellations appear in the same place in

the sky every night.

Ask students to observe carefully the locations of a

bright star once a week for several weeks.

The world is flat, circular like a pancake. Use a globe or ball to find countries located over the

horizon; use computer software (e.g. Global Earth) to

illustrate how a round Earth can look flat up close.

Dinosaurs disappeared at the same time that human

beings appeared and because of human activity.

Construct a timeline of major periods of Darwinian

evolution.

Rivers always flow from North to South. Identify rivers that flow South to North (e.g. the Red

River in North Dakota and Canada); talk about how

Southern locations are not necessarily “lower”.

Force is needed not only to start an object moving,

but to keep it moving.

Explain the concept of inertia; demonstrate inertia

using low-friction motion (e.g. with a hovercraft or dry-

ice puck).

Volume, weight, and size are identical concepts. Have students weigh objects of different sizes or

volumes, and compare the results.

Seasons happen because the Earth changes distance

from the sun.

Explain the tilt of Earth’s axis using a globe and light

as a model; demonstrate reduced heating of surfaces by

placing similar surfaces outdoors at different angles to

the sun’s rays.

Sources: Chi, 2005; D. Clark, 2006; Slotta & Chi, 2006; Owens, 2003.

The second task when anticipating preconceptions is to treat students’ existing knowledge and beliefs with
respect even when they do include misconceptions or errors. This may seem obvious in principle, but it needs
remembering when students persist with misconceptions in spite of a teacher’s efforts to teach alternative ideas or
concepts. Most of us—including most students—have reasons for holding our beliefs, even when the beliefs do not
agree with teachers, textbooks, or other authorities, and we appreciate having our beliefs treated with respect.
Students are no different from other people in this regard. In a high school biology class, for example, some
students may have personal reasons for not agreeing with the theory of evolution associated with Charles Darwin.
For religious reasons they may support explanations of the origins of life that give a more active, interventionist
role to God (Brumfiel, 2005). If their beliefs disagree with the teacher’s or the textbook, then the disagreement
needs to be acknowledged, but acknowledged respectfully. For some students (and perhaps some teachers),
expressing fundamental disagreement respectfully may feel awkward, but it needs to be done nonetheless.

Educational Psychology 232 A Global Text