Elementary Teachers’ Understanding of Students’ Prior Knowledge
Gomez-Zwiep, S. & McComas, W..
teaching. The implication for teacher training is that simply exposing pre-service teachers to
student misconceptions is not enough to get them to work out how to address them in their own
teaching.
This study investigated what 3
rd
, 4
th
and 5
th
grade teachers know about the misconceptions
their student have, how they develop and what particular instructional methods can be used to
address student misconceptions in the classroom. The findings suggest that elementary teachers
have a minimal understanding of misconceptions and generally are unprepared to deal with the
science misconceptions their students hold, regardless of the amount of teaching experience or
science content expertise. More importantly, the evidence from this study suggests that
elementary teachers are not aware of the student thinking that occurs in their rooms and do not
adjust their instruction to address differences in student learning. These are issues that that
future teachers will need to know about and deal with in the future. Future teachers need to be
adequately prepared to identify and address student misconceptions
Relevance to successful practice and using evidence to inform practice.
If learning occurs both internally and through social interactions, the role of the teacher
becomes a link between the everyday world of the student and the scientific community. There
is clearly evidence to support a clear change in teacher practice. Students have science
misconceptions and yet, elementary teachers seem unaware of them. Misconceptions in science
are a tricky thing for new and experienced teachers alike. Unlike other content areas,
misconceptions in science are not always the result of instruction and remain despite the
teacher’s best efforts as long as they continue to prove useful and predictive in the student’s
world. Although there exists a considerable amount of literature on misconceptions, it has not
yet made an impact on pre-service teacher preparation or the professional development of
practicing teachers. This study provides valuable information regarding teacher education and
professional development programs.
Implication for Action
Teachers would be better prepared to face the challenges of the real classroom if they had
a better understanding of where and how misconceptions develop. Research has shown that
simply making teachers aware that misconceptions exist is not enough to get them to alter their
teaching strategies. Preservice teachers need exposure to student misconceptions and the
techniques developed to address them. In addition, experienced teachers also need opportunities
to consider student thinking and look at student misconceptions in their professional
development programs.
Outcomes and Methods
Learner/participant outcomes: The participants will gain an understanding regarding the
complexities faced by elementary teachers and science instruction. In addition, the session will
focus on the level of preparedness of elementary teachers on this issue and the instructional
strategies they can use to address student misconceptions.
Methods: This will be a presentation of a research study delivered in a traditional presentation of
15 minutes with discussion following.
Convention