Abstract
Cognitive conflict has been proposed as a strategy to promote conceptual change. The history and philosophy of science have shown the importance of anomalous data to change scientific theories and to the progress of science. Often, scientists use anomalous data to develop new interpretations that lead to new conceptualizations and finally, to a deep conceptual change. To be aware of contradiction seems to be a first step in the process of conceptual change. A study to explore novice students responses to anomalous data has been carried out. Sixty nine ninth graders, fifty seven eleventh graders and sixty three twelfth graders participated in the study. A paper and pencil task about the origin of life on the Earth was designed. Subjects were divided into two conditions. In condition “A” only anomalous data were presented to the subjects. In condition “A+B”, both anomalous and confirmatory data were presented.
Results indicated that younger students were less aware of contradiction than older students when both anomalous and confirmatory data were presented. However, no differences have been found among them when just anomalous data were presented (condition A). Twelfth graders were aware of contradiction in both conditions. Some students’ epistemological beliefs influenced their response to anomalous data. Although no conceptual change (weak or strong restructuring) was achieved, as it could be predicted by the low domain-specific knowledge of the subjects and the complexity of the topic, presenting anomalous data facilitated the achievement of the first steps of the conceptual change process.
Résumé
Le conflit cognitif a été proposé comme une stratégie pour favoriser le changement. L’histoire et la philosophie des sciences ont montré que les données non conformes à la théorie sont source de progrès scientifique et qu’elles jouent un rôle important dans l’évolution et le changement des théories. Les scientifiques s’appuient souvent sur des donnés non conformes pour développer de nouvelles interprétations qui conduisent à de nouvelles conceptualisations et finalement, à un profond changement conceptuel. La prise de conscience de contradictions semble bien constituer une première étape dans le processus de changement conceptuel. Nous avons donc mis en place une recherche visant l’exploration des réponses d’élèves débutants à des donnés non conformes. L’étude a été conduite avec 69 élèves de neuvième année, 57 élèves de 11ème année et 63 élèves de 12ème année auquels on a proposé une tâche papier-crayon à propos de l’origine de la vie sur la terre. Les sujets ont été répartis dans deux conditions: dans la condition dite “A” les données présentées aux sujets étaient toutes non conformes; dans la condition dite “A+B” les sujets étaient disposaient à la fois de données non conformes et confirmées.
Les résultats montrent que les élèves jeunes sont moins conscients des contradictions que les élèves âgés quand les données non conformes et confirmées (“A+B”) sont présentées simultanément. Mais aucune différence n’a été constatée entre les plus jeunes et les plus âgés dans dans la condition ne comportant que les données non conformes (“A”). Les élèves les plus âgés (12ème année) se sont montrés conscients des contradictions dans les deux conditions. Des croyances épistémologique influencent les étudiants dans leurs réponses aux données anormales. Bien qu’aucune changement de conception (qu’il s’agisse de faible ou forte restructuration) ne soit en place, comme on pouvait le prédire du fait des faibles connaissances spécifique des sujets et de la complexité du domaine, la présentation de données non conformes a facilité la réalisation de premiers pas dans le processus de changement de conceptualisation.
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Limón, M., Carretero, M. Conceptual change and anomalous data: A case study in the domain of natural sciences. Eur J Psychol Educ 12, 213–230 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173085
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173085