Conceptual Change Theory - Changing the World
Conceptual Change learning theory could be valuable to retrain or change perceptions. It seems to be limited to small group or individualized learning. Do you see any areas that you could use Conceptual Change learning theory?
Conceptual change is generally defined as learning that changes an existing conception (i.e., belief, idea, or way of thinking). When a student's existing conception is changed, or replaced, such that the student uses the new concept to solve problems, explain phenomena, and function in their world.
In education using Conceptual Change theory you first uncover a students preconceptions. Then using various techniques you help the student change their conceptual framework. This uses a constructivist approach where the teacher's role is "guide on the side" instead of "sage on the stage" and the role of the media specialist (formerly librarian) to change from being a "keeper of the books" to "collaborative planner" working in partnership will teachers and other educational resources.
Using Conceptual Change theory in business and industry the training requires the employee to reconcepturalize their roles and responsibilities in the organization. Teaching new job skills and new procedures is easy, bring about conceptual change in how they view their organizational roles is more difficult to undertake.
Posner et al. applied Kuhn's ideas about scientific revolutions to individual learning, and derived the following conditions for bringing about conceptual change:
1) There must be dissatisfaction with a currently held conception. If the learner's current understanding and ideas are satisfactory for making sense of a given phenomenon, the learner will be less likely to accept a new conception. (In other words, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it.")
2) The alternative conception must be intelligible. Learners must be able to understand what the alternative conception means.
3) The alternative conception must appear plausible. Even if the learners understand the alternative conception, they may not be able to see how it can be applied in a given situation or used to solve a particular problem.
4) The alternative conception must appear fruitful. It should do more than potentially solve current problems or answer questions. It must be useful in a variety of new situations.
Here is an example of teaching Conceptual Change is to start with an exposing event, a situation for which outcome is not known or one in which the outcome is known (Chinn & Brewer, 1993). Have students represent their ideas in many ways. They can write descriptions, draw illustrations, create physical models, draw concept maps, design web pages, or any combination of these to evidence their understanding of a particular concept. Have students clarify and revise their original conceptions through group and whole-class discussions. After the whole-class discussion, students with differing conceptions work in pairs or groups to evaluate each other's ideas.
Reference:
Davis, Joan,.(2001). Conceptual Change. http://www.coe.uga.edu/epltt/ConceptualChange.htm
posted by Teri @ 7:43 PM
6 Comments:
This sounds a bit like a broader approach to brainstorming, with the idea that thinking outside the box can lead to new 'conceptions.'
I like the concept of conceptual change, no pun intended. There is the old adage you can bring a horse to water but you can’t make ‘em drink. Well I guess the idea here is to deal with that issue. How do we get people to rethink their ‘attitude’ or adjust or open up there background schema to new or different ways of looking at things?
I like the whole idea of uncovering a student's preconceptions, but how do you go about doing this? I imagine that you could achieve this in an adult setting, but how do you achieve this with children? Or teenagers?
In each of these cases, I would also want to create a situation where they felt they could be honest about their misconceptions. That is, if they're vocalizing their preconceptions in a classroom/public setting, they may not feel comfortable admitting to having certain ideas.
Interesting point, though. Thanks!
The thought that came to mind while reading this post is peoples desire for the familiar. When someone is trying to figure something out they will often move back to something they know, something familiar. It is a valuable prospect to try new tings but people often run to the familiar, until the y master the new concept.
i think conceptual change is a great way to open new paths, new ways of approaching something taht is so familiar, and so fabricated in our mind set; it is a truely an amazing approach to learning, because one has to challenge all his "presuppositions", all his "preconceptions"; it might totally takes us to new ways of seeing concepts that we took it for granteed;but the whole approach of concept change learning would happens when the environment of learning create an atomospher of oppeness, and independence on the side of learners;
This is very important if you are dealing with a student that is in a state of learned helplessness.
They will definitely need a change in there concepts about there abilities.
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