Does Classroom Explicitation of Initial Conceptions Favour Conceptual Change or is it Counter-Productive?

• DOI: 10.1007/s11165-010-9203-4
• Publication Date: 2011-01-24T00:07:29Z
• Authors: Patrice Potvin; Julien Mercier; Patrick Charland; Martin Riopel
• Keywords: 4. Education; 05 social sciences; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences

This research investigates the effect of classroom explicitation of initial conceptions (CEIC) on conceptual change in the context of learning electricity. Eight hundred and seventy five thirteen year-olds were tested in laboratory conditions to see if CEIC is or is not a productive step toward conceptual change. All students experienced a problem-based pedagogical treatment called “the electronic challenge.” The randomly determined experimental group was also exposed to CEIC. Data shows a significant beneficial effect of CEIC and no unwanted “contamination effect”, particularly for female subjects.