Abstract
Learning new concepts and ideas typically requires that the learners activate and bring to bear some prior knowledge for interpreting and assimilating the new ideas. This prior knowledge can be conceived of as some coherent body of relevant knowledge that can be referred to as a schema. Once the new ideas and concepts are assimilated within an existing schema, then the schema can be used to generate new inferences, expectations and explanations. Learning failures and misunderstanding occur, typically, either when the cues in the new materials activate no relevant prior schema, or when the cues activate incomplete and under-developed prior schema. Misconceptions, so prevalent for science concepts, are a special type of learning failures. It is a unique case in which an inappropriate schema is activated for assimilation and generation. This chapter provides a theoretical account for this particular type of learning failures, using natural selection as an example. Some preliminary findings from a pilot study are also presented.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Evolution Challenges: Integrating Research and Practice in Teaching and Learning about Evolution |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780199949557, 9780199730421 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 20 2012 |
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Keywords
- Learning failures
- Misconceptions
- Natural selection
- Schema
- Science learning
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
Cite this
Misunderstanding Emergent Causal Mechanism in Natural Selection. / Chi, Michelene; Kristensen, Agnieszka Kosminska; Roscoe, Rod.
Evolution Challenges: Integrating Research and Practice in Teaching and Learning about Evolution. Oxford University Press, 2012.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
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TY - CHAP
T1 - Misunderstanding Emergent Causal Mechanism in Natural Selection
AU - Chi, Michelene
AU - Kristensen, Agnieszka Kosminska
AU - Roscoe, Rod
PY - 2012/9/20
Y1 - 2012/9/20
N2 - Learning new concepts and ideas typically requires that the learners activate and bring to bear some prior knowledge for interpreting and assimilating the new ideas. This prior knowledge can be conceived of as some coherent body of relevant knowledge that can be referred to as a schema. Once the new ideas and concepts are assimilated within an existing schema, then the schema can be used to generate new inferences, expectations and explanations. Learning failures and misunderstanding occur, typically, either when the cues in the new materials activate no relevant prior schema, or when the cues activate incomplete and under-developed prior schema. Misconceptions, so prevalent for science concepts, are a special type of learning failures. It is a unique case in which an inappropriate schema is activated for assimilation and generation. This chapter provides a theoretical account for this particular type of learning failures, using natural selection as an example. Some preliminary findings from a pilot study are also presented.
AB - Learning new concepts and ideas typically requires that the learners activate and bring to bear some prior knowledge for interpreting and assimilating the new ideas. This prior knowledge can be conceived of as some coherent body of relevant knowledge that can be referred to as a schema. Once the new ideas and concepts are assimilated within an existing schema, then the schema can be used to generate new inferences, expectations and explanations. Learning failures and misunderstanding occur, typically, either when the cues in the new materials activate no relevant prior schema, or when the cues activate incomplete and under-developed prior schema. Misconceptions, so prevalent for science concepts, are a special type of learning failures. It is a unique case in which an inappropriate schema is activated for assimilation and generation. This chapter provides a theoretical account for this particular type of learning failures, using natural selection as an example. Some preliminary findings from a pilot study are also presented.
KW - Learning failures
KW - Misconceptions
KW - Natural selection
KW - Schema
KW - Science learning
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U2 - 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199730421.003.0007
DO - 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199730421.003.0007
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9780199949557
SN - 9780199730421
BT - Evolution Challenges: Integrating Research and Practice in Teaching and Learning about Evolution
PB - Oxford University Press
ER -