How Students Learn: Science in the Classroom

Nicole Nesbitt
Article Reflection – 10/5/09 Callback
November 17, 2009

How Students Learn: Science in the Classroom
Chapter 9: Scientific Inquiry and How People Learn

By: John D. Bransford and M. Suzanne Donovan

Chapter 9: Scientific Inquiry and How People Learn mentions that “Students enter the study of science with a vast array of such preconceptions based on their everyday experiences. Teachers will need to engage those ideas if students are to understand science.” This seems like a very obvious statement but if we, as teachers, fail to address these preconceptions, and often misconceptions, prior to teaching a specific concept we will often fail in helping students to fully understand the content. I recently experienced this within my own classroom. I am currently teaching planetary science to seventh graders and while introducing the phases of the Moon a student stated “Miss, how can we see the Moon change phases if we are inside the Earth?” I was completely shocked by this statement but I suddenly realized, as the other students nodded and agreed that most of my students could not understand that we are, in fact, living on the outside of the Earth. I stopped to draw a few images on the board and used some students as examples to try to explain that we are on the Earth and not inside. I had to quickly abandon my lesson plan to address this preconception/misconception because without this basic knowledge my students would not be able to master more complex and abstract ideas. This article helped to reinforce that the “brainstorming” sessions before starting new units are vital. These sessions help to reveal their students’ preconceptions and can help the teacher to carefully direct future instruction.