EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Chapter 6, page 93

diagram shown below:

Alternative Conceptions can Interfere with Both Understanding and Belief

Students’ alternative conceptions can interfere with learning in one or both of two distinct ways
(Chinn & Samarapungavan, 2001, 2008; Ohlsson, in press). Alternative conceptions can make it difficult
to understand new ideas. Or they can make it difficult to believe new ideas, even if the ideas are
understood. People understand a conception when they can explain what the conception means, explain
how the conception is similar to and different from related conceptions, describe examples of the
conception, and apply the conception to new situations. People believe conceptions when they think those
conceptions are correct or true. People can understand ideas without believing them, and vice versa. For
example, an economics student can understand Marxist economic theory without believing it. Conversely,
a committed communist who has never studied economics might fervently believe Marxism without having
any real understanding of it.
As an example of how alternative conceptions can influence both understanding and belief, let’s
consider a sixth grader, Tracey, learning about water molecules. Tracey believes that water is made up of
“molecules,” but she thinks that molecules are tiny drops of water. Then Tracey learns about a very
different idea in science class: Water is made of hard, elastic molecules that are constantly bumping
against each other. How might Tracey’s alternative conception impede learning of this idea?
One possibility is that Tracey’s alternative conception leads to a misunderstanding of the new ideas.
The idea that water is made of hard molecules might simply makes no sense to Tracey. How could
something wet be made of particles that are not wet? As a result, Tracey might combine what she learned
with her prior conceptions to develop a common alternative conception—namely, that water molecules are
hard particles found in water, and mixed in with the tiny drops that water is made of (Chinn &
Samarapungavan, 2001).

Depositor

Banks

Citizens

Public service

activities (such as

building roads

and hospitals)

taxes Interest on

deposits

Loans (no

interest)

Bank

employee

salaries.