Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 132 |
| Pages (from-to) | 132 |
| Journal | Education Sciences |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Aug 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Keywords
- students' conceptions, Plant nutrition, photosyntheisis, conceptual change, conceptual metaphor theory, Conceptual change, Students’ conceptions, Conceptual metaphor theory, Photosynthesis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Computer Science(all)
- Computer Science (miscellaneous)
- Social Sciences(all)
- Education
- Psychology(all)
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Health Professions(all)
- Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
- Computer Science(all)
- General Computer Science
- Computer Science(all)
- Computer Science Applications
- Social Sciences(all)
- Public Administration
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In: Education Sciences, Vol. 8, No. 3, 132, 30.08.2018, p. 132.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding Plant Nutrition—The Genesis of Students’ Conceptions and the Implications for Teaching Photosynthesis
AU - Messig, Denis
AU - Groß, Jorge
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2018/8/30
Y1 - 2018/8/30
N2 - Plant nutrition and photosynthesis is one of the most difficult issues teachers are confronted with in science classes. This can be due to alternative conceptions students’ hold, which are often profoundly contrary to their scientific counterparts. Consequently, fruitful learning environments should build on learners’ alternative conceptions to initiate conceptual change towards a more scientific understanding. In this qualitative case study, high-school students’ pre-instructional conceptions about plant nutrition were identified empirically. Afterwards these students were exposed to the van-Helmont experiment in order to create a cognitive conflict. The learning processes and signs of conceptual change were identified using Qualitative Content Analysis. The results show that the van-Helmont experiment does not trigger conceptual change but reinforces students’ pre-instructional conceptions. Ultimately, a cognitive-linguistic analysis using Conceptual Metaphor Theory was conducted. Interestingly, underlying embodied conceptions and image schemas about human nutrition became evident. These thinking patterns were used metaphorically and, therefore, can be seen as the basis to understand plant nutrition. As a result, we propose a reverse approach of teaching photosynthesis and nutrition. Our Dissimilation-Before-Assimilation approach takes learners’ alternative conceptions and underlying image schemas into account in order to promote a fruitful learning of the concepts of plant nutrition.
AB - Plant nutrition and photosynthesis is one of the most difficult issues teachers are confronted with in science classes. This can be due to alternative conceptions students’ hold, which are often profoundly contrary to their scientific counterparts. Consequently, fruitful learning environments should build on learners’ alternative conceptions to initiate conceptual change towards a more scientific understanding. In this qualitative case study, high-school students’ pre-instructional conceptions about plant nutrition were identified empirically. Afterwards these students were exposed to the van-Helmont experiment in order to create a cognitive conflict. The learning processes and signs of conceptual change were identified using Qualitative Content Analysis. The results show that the van-Helmont experiment does not trigger conceptual change but reinforces students’ pre-instructional conceptions. Ultimately, a cognitive-linguistic analysis using Conceptual Metaphor Theory was conducted. Interestingly, underlying embodied conceptions and image schemas about human nutrition became evident. These thinking patterns were used metaphorically and, therefore, can be seen as the basis to understand plant nutrition. As a result, we propose a reverse approach of teaching photosynthesis and nutrition. Our Dissimilation-Before-Assimilation approach takes learners’ alternative conceptions and underlying image schemas into account in order to promote a fruitful learning of the concepts of plant nutrition.
KW - students' conceptions
KW - Plant nutrition
KW - photosyntheisis
KW - conceptual change
KW - conceptual metaphor theory
KW - Conceptual change
KW - Students’ conceptions
KW - Conceptual metaphor theory
KW - Photosynthesis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85061253919&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/educsci8030132
DO - 10.3390/educsci8030132
M3 - Article
VL - 8
SP - 132
JO - Education Sciences
JF - Education Sciences
SN - 2227-7102
IS - 3
M1 - 132
ER -