Embracing Representational Plurality to Bypass Misconceptions in Science Education
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| Title: | Embracing Representational Plurality to Bypass Misconceptions in Science Education |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Fabien Paillusson (ORCID |
| Source: | Science & Education. 2025 34(4):1955-1969. |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 15 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Evaluative |
| Descriptors: | Science Education, Misconceptions, Teaching Methods, Student Attitudes, Scientific Attitudes, Attitude Change, Ethics, Epistemology, Educational Philosophy, Scientific Literacy, Physics, Evaluative Thinking |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11191-024-00590-4 |
| ISSN: | 0926-7220 1573-1901 |
| Abstract: | For the past five decades, the majority of science education has adhered to a pedagogical philosophy which contends that issues in the acquisition and expression of target scientific narratives by learners stem from the existence of "incorrect beliefs" called misconceptions. According to this philosophy, misconceptions must be identified, possibly as early as in childhood, and eradicated with specific interventions to allow the proper scientific knowledge to be acquired. Despite much effort cataloging misconceptions and their associated interventions in different disciplines and sub-branches of these disciplines, misconceptions get still regularly diagnosed in a wide academic population ranging from school pupils to teachers in training, and even experts. In addition to this potential lack of efficacy, the present article puts forward three lines of argument making the case against the adoption of a science pedagogy based on a belief-change strategy in learners. The suggested lines of argument rely on ethical, epistemic, and professional considerations. It is then argued that adopting a pedagogical philosophy based on representational pluralism, in opposition to holding a single "true" scientific story, can both address the three points of concern aforementioned, but also allow learners to bypass misconceptions when making judgements based on their scientific knowledge. Possible applications in physics education are presented. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1482053 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | For the past five decades, the majority of science education has adhered to a pedagogical philosophy which contends that issues in the acquisition and expression of target scientific narratives by learners stem from the existence of "incorrect beliefs" called misconceptions. According to this philosophy, misconceptions must be identified, possibly as early as in childhood, and eradicated with specific interventions to allow the proper scientific knowledge to be acquired. Despite much effort cataloging misconceptions and their associated interventions in different disciplines and sub-branches of these disciplines, misconceptions get still regularly diagnosed in a wide academic population ranging from school pupils to teachers in training, and even experts. In addition to this potential lack of efficacy, the present article puts forward three lines of argument making the case against the adoption of a science pedagogy based on a belief-change strategy in learners. The suggested lines of argument rely on ethical, epistemic, and professional considerations. It is then argued that adopting a pedagogical philosophy based on representational pluralism, in opposition to holding a single "true" scientific story, can both address the three points of concern aforementioned, but also allow learners to bypass misconceptions when making judgements based on their scientific knowledge. Possible applications in physics education are presented. |
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| ISSN: | 0926-7220 1573-1901 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11191-024-00590-4 |
