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Addressing Secondary Student Misconceptions in Ecology

Short, Melissa L.

Abstract Details

2011, BS, Kent State University, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies.
This research addresses secondary students’ misconceptions in ecology topics, namely food webs, photosynthesis and respiration, evolution and natural selection, and climate change. These topics are all covered several times in the secondary curriculum, but studies show that students frequently enter universities with incorrect ideas or misconceptions in these areas, showing that they are not being targeted effectively in middle and high school. The research starts with an introduction about misconceptions, including information on students’ cognitive development and structure, conceptual change, constructivism and other effective teaching strategies, and ties to the Ohio Science Content Standards and the National Science Education Standards. Each of the four topics is then researched in detail, with background information about the topic and common student misconceptions and then implications for teaching. The implications for teaching sections include numerous strategies to use in the classroom to address these misconceptions. The research culminates with a chapter on diagnosing misconceptions and writing effective assessments for diagnosis. Eight formative assessments are included, two for each topic studied. This work was written with the classroom in mind and the hopes that much of this information and these teaching strategies can be used in the classroom to improve student learning and bring about conceptual change.
Lisa Donnelly, PhD (Advisor)
Aeran Choi, PhD (Committee Member)
Natasha Levinson, PhD (Committee Member)
Alison Smith, PhD (Committee Member)
84 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Short, M. L. (2011). Addressing Secondary Student Misconceptions in Ecology [Undergraduate thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1304098355

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Short, Melissa. Addressing Secondary Student Misconceptions in Ecology. 2011. Kent State University, Undergraduate thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1304098355.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Short, Melissa. "Addressing Secondary Student Misconceptions in Ecology." Undergraduate thesis, Kent State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1304098355

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)