From Misconceptions to Conceptual Change: Tips for Identifying and Overcoming Students' Misconceptions

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We all have misconceptions about the world in which we live--how it works, how we interact with it, how it changes, and the reasons behind those changes. These misunderstandings are personal notions we create to make meaning of our surroundings. Often, these misunderstandings go unchallenged for a lifetime. This article addresses how these inaccuracies can occur, what historic missteps may contribute, and which strategies teachers can use to help students move toward conceptual change. About misconceptions Throughout our lives, we are inundated with information. Some of it sticks with us; some does not. When we try to understand that information, misconceptions can occur. This may be because humans are pattern makers and pattern seekers--particularly when we answer questions and resolve issues. Much of this has to do with how our brains work. Wesson (2001, p. 61) explains, "When information arrives in the cerebral cortex for analysis, the brain attempts to match each component with previously stored memory elements on the existing neural network with similar traits. " Simply put, the brain files new data by making connections to existing information. If this new information does not fit the learner's established pattern of thinking, it is refashioned to fit the existing pattern. This is when misconceptions are unknowingly created and reinforced--the learner builds explanations, unravels problems, and files new data based on faulty reasoning. The resulting misconceptions can be compounded by linkages to other misunderstandings or inaccuracies--thus perpetuating the cycle. The longer a misconception remains unchallenged, the more likely it is to become entrenched. According to Wesson (2001, p. 62), "Repeating an activity among the same combination of neurons strengthens their connections . whether [it does] so accurately, prematurely, or even erroneously. " In general, brain connections are strengthened when revisited or rehearsed, so each false practice fortifies the misconception--making it even more resistant to change. In the documentary A Private Universe (Sadler, Schneps, and Woll 1987), Matthew Schneps and Philip Sadler investigate two common misconceptions. In 1986, they interviewed Harvard University graduates, their professors, and several middle school students about the causes of the seasons and the phases of the moon. They found that both the Harvard graduates and the middle school students held false beliefs about these concepts--misconceptions that, regardless of their time in school, remained deeply embedded in their brains. After being retaught the concepts, only some demonstrated a better understanding, and many retained some of their misguided beliefs. Some even reverted back to their original misconceptions, demonstrating that once information is learned--whether correctly or incorrectly--it is difficult to edit or delete. The blame game The National Research Council (NRC) (1997) presents five types of misconceptions that can interfere with learning: 1. preconceived notions, 2. nonscientific beliefs, 3. conceptual misunderstandings, 4. vernacular misconceptions, and 5. factual misconceptions. Parents, folklore, teachers, multimedia, and even learners themselves are responsible for cultivating and fostering misconceptions. Despite our best efforts, students continue to craft their own versions of reality. Science curricula and textbooks are also responsible for perpetuating misconceptions. Some contain blatantly false information. Walton (2002) presents two examples: a discussion of sound that says humans cannot hear below 400 Hz and a description of the "bronze outer structure" of the Statue of Liberty. Both of these are incorrect--47 notes on a piano are below 400 Hz, and the Statue of Liberty is made of copper. Our personal experiences with commercial publications have repeatedly revealed this phenomenon, as well. …