DOCUMENT RESUME ED 418 377 CS 013 146 AUTHOR Maria, Katherine TITLE Conceptual Change in a Young Girl: A Longitudinal Case Study. PUB DATE 1997-12-00 NOTE 28p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Reading Conference (47th, Scottsdale, AZ, December 3-6, 1997). PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) Speeches/Meeting Papers (150) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Case Studies; *Concept Formation; Grade 1; Learning Processes; Longitudinal Studies; *Misconceptions; Primary Education; *Science Instruction; *Scientific Concepts; Sex Differences IDENTIFIERS Trade Books ABSTRACT A longitudinal case study focused on the process of conceptual change in science of a young girl. The subject, the researcher's granddaughter, was 6 years and 6 months old and in first grade when the first of 19 hour-long sessions began. Sessions were spread over a two-year period. A concurrent case study was being conducted with the researcher's grandson. Tradebooks and discussion were used to provide scaffolded and developmentally appropriate science instruction. Data included field notes and interviews. Results indicated that (1) the developmentally appropriate instruction enabled both children to restructure their alternative conceptions of scientific principles; (2) both seemed to follow the same process of conceptual change (they at first held onto their ideas despite instruction, then underwent a period when they held alternative conceptions and ideas consistent with scientific understanding at the same time, and finally a time when they abandoned their alternative conceptions); (3) both children had to be encouraged to have confidence in themselves as learners at the same time that their confidence in their original ideas was being challenged for conceptual change to take place; (4) neither child demonstrated any evidence of a misconception about the cause of the seasons; and (5) the girl's response to anomalous data was to reject it while the boy appeared to accept it but did not retain it. Findings suggest that it is important to encourage young girls to show an interest in science and have confidence in their ability to learn and do science.(Contains 32 references and seven figures.) (RS) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******4*************************************************************************
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DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 418 377 CS 013 146
AUTHOR Maria, KatherineTITLE Conceptual Change in a Young Girl: A Longitudinal Case
Study.
PUB DATE 1997-12-00NOTE 28p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National
Reading Conference (47th, Scottsdale, AZ, December 3-6,1997).
PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) Speeches/Meeting Papers (150)EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Case Studies; *Concept Formation; Grade 1; Learning
ABSTRACTA longitudinal case study focused on the process of
conceptual change in science of a young girl. The subject, the researcher'sgranddaughter, was 6 years and 6 months old and in first grade when the firstof 19 hour-long sessions began. Sessions were spread over a two-year period.A concurrent case study was being conducted with the researcher's grandson.Tradebooks and discussion were used to provide scaffolded and developmentallyappropriate science instruction. Data included field notes and interviews.Results indicated that (1) the developmentally appropriate instructionenabled both children to restructure their alternative conceptions ofscientific principles; (2) both seemed to follow the same process ofconceptual change (they at first held onto their ideas despite instruction,then underwent a period when they held alternative conceptions and ideasconsistent with scientific understanding at the same time, and finally a timewhen they abandoned their alternative conceptions); (3) both children had tobe encouraged to have confidence in themselves as learners at the same timethat their confidence in their original ideas was being challenged forconceptual change to take place; (4) neither child demonstrated any evidenceof a misconception about the cause of the seasons; and (5) the girl'sresponse to anomalous data was to reject it while the boy appeared to acceptit but did not retain it. Findings suggest that it is important to encourageyoung girls to show an interest in science and have confidence in theirability to learn and do science.(Contains 32 references and seven figures.)(RS)
conceptual change: The role of motivational beliefs and classroom contextual
factors in the process of conceptual change. Review of Educational Research,
63, 167-199.
Sneider, C., & Pulos, S. (1983). Children's cosmographies:
Understanding the earth's shape and gravity. Science Education, 67,
205-221.
Tannen, D. (1991). You lust don't understand. New York: Ballantine
Books.
Vosniadou, S. (1987, April). Children's acquisition and restructuring
of science knowledge. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American
Educational Research Association, Washington, DC.
Vosniadou, S. (1992). Designing curricula for conceptual
restructuring: Lessons from the study of knowledge acquistion in
2 6 BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Conceptual change
astronomy (Tech. Rep. No. 546). Champaign, IL: Center for the Study of
Reading.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in societ . M.Cole et al. (Eds.) Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press.
Wood, T. (1992). Our planet Earth. New York: Macmillan.
BEST COPY AVAIIA
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Conceptual change
Figure 1Pictures presented to Jennifer in the interview about gravity
(Session 3, 4/12/92)
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Conceptual change
Figure 2Picture from Jennifer's Journal
(Session 5, 5/9/92)
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Conceptual change
Figure 3Jennifer's Initial View of the Earth
(Session 1, 2/24/92)
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BEST COPY MARIA
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Conceptual change
Figure 4Christopher's Initial View of the Earth
(Session 4, 3/22/92)
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Conceptual change
Figure 5Jennifer's Picture of Herself Dropping a Rock
through a hole in the earth(Session 15, 5/1/93)
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
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Con6eptual change
Figure 6Jennifer's Journal Entry about the Seasons
(Session 16, 5/20/93)
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Conceptual change
Figure 7Jennifer's Record of Results of the Shirt Experiment
(Session 18, 9/25/93)
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