HR: 15:10h
AN: ED22E-07 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: The Retention of Geologic Misconceptions: Alternative Ideas That Persist After Instruction
AU: * Anderson, S W
EM: steveanderson@bhsu.edu
AF: Science Department, Black Hills State University, USB9102, Spearfish, SD 57799-9102 United States
AU: Libarkin, J
EM: jlibarki@cfa.harvard.edu
AF: Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 United States
AB: We used a 30 item multiple-choice instrument called the geoscience concept test (GCT) to study learning in introductory college-level science courses. The GCT uses common misconceptions as wrong answers, and allows us to pre- and post-test individual courses to gauge the effectiveness of instruction. The GCT was given at the beginning of the semester to 2215 college students in 42 classes at 32 different institutions in 19 different states (21 public and 6 private four-year institutions, 4 community colleges, and one tribal college). The pilot was also given to 1907 students as a semester-end post-test in 30 different classes. We were able to match pre- and post-test results for 967 students through an analysis of volunteered personal and demographic data. Although statistical analysis shows that learning occurred in all classes, closer inspection of the data show that the student population retained a number of misconceptions. Students retained several incorrect ideas relating to geologic time despite instruction. For example, 71% of post-tested students believe that the study of fossils, rock layers, or carbon is the most accurate means for calculating the age of the Earth. Nearly 25% of students believed that dinosaurs only existed on Earth for 500,000 years, and 40% believe dinosaurs came into existence about halfway through the geologic time scale. Many alternative ideas about plate tectonics and the formation of rocks also existed after instruction. Nearly half of the post-tested students (47%) believed that tectonic plates do not extend all way to the surface of the Earth, and 65% did not believe that animals could form oceanic rocks. Identification of strongly held misconceptions in a post-tested student population provides instructors with information that could impact the way they present material to their introductory classes.
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting