A Systematic Review of Climate Change Science Conceptual Change Learning in Middle-school-aged Children

Ross J. Toedte

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/114360 Copy

Description

Title

A Systematic Review of Climate Change Science Conceptual Change Learning in Middle-school-aged Children

Author(s)

Ross J. Toedte

Issue Date

2020-07-04

Keyword(s)

climate change, science education, middle school, conceptual change

Abstract

This systematic review explores recent research at the intersection of three distinct but interrelated strands: climate change science learning, conceptual change learning, and middle- school-age learning. Climate change science is a difficult topic to teach because it draws from diverse branches of science including geophysics, atmospheric chemistry, and biology (Zimmerman, 2008). It is further complicated because it includes physical processes that occur on vastly different time scales from speed-of-light energy conversion on Earth’s surface to millennial rates of carbon dioxide sequestration on the floors of oceans. Conceptual change learning at its simplest is a learner’s process of replacing a mental schema or schemas with ones that better agree with or fit with held conceptions...a process which may be complicated by the magnitude of disagreement or disequilibrium. One immediate issue with this, however, lies with the question: Who does the learner value as a holder of the “correct” conception? Is their source a scientist, teacher, or parent? Does the source have sufficient topical information to be held in regard by the learner? Clearly, conceptual change includes epistemic factors such as source selection, which can be clouded by personal and cultural attitudes and motivations for learners of all ages. Poor source selection can foster new misconceptions, entrench existing misconceptions, and inhibit conceptual change. Finally, middle-school-age learning, or learning generally associated with children 9-14, comes at a time of rapid physical and cognitive change in a person’s life (Kuhn, 1999). This presents both challenges and opportunities in terms of cognition. Researchers and educators need to explore and promote educational methods that are likely to take advantage of learners’ new cognitive skills and foster understanding, while avoiding those that exceed learners’ capabilities and perpetuate confusion.

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/114360

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/114360

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