Students’ Preconceptions of the Formation and Location of Deserts: Results of a Qualitative Interview Study with Grade 7 Students in Germany

Year 2014, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 102 - 119, 31.08.2014

Jan Christoph Schubert

Abstract

In the educational learning process preconceptions are an important factor. Learners usually interpret
new input on the basis of their own preconceptions that are the result of various experiences made
before being confronted with the educational learning process. Hence, the investigation of
preconceptions is a main task for educational research. This study examines the preconceptions of
thirteen grade 7 students (ages 12 and 13 years) on the topics “formation and location of deserts.”
Semi-structured and problem-centered interviews were used to collect the students’ preconceptions.
The following analysis was based on qualitative content analysis methods. Regarding the formation of
deserts, four basic preconceptions were identified, e.g., “Wind amasses sand with the result that a
desert forms.” All four preconceptions have two characteristics in common: the origin of sand is
simultaneously their basic concept and a problem of comprehension when thinking about the formation
of a desert. Additionally, in the students’ imagination all deserts are sand deserts. Concerning the
location of deserts it can be stated that “heat” and “dryness” are the main factors, which are used when
explaining the location. At the same time, the students seem to have no basic spatial grids and
orientation systems concerning the location of deserts in the world that corresponds to scientific
conceptions.

Keywords

preconceptions, desert formation, desert location, qualitative interview study

References

• Adamina, M. (2008). Vorstellungen von Schülerinnen und Schülern zu raum-, zeit- und geschichtsbezogenen Themen. Eine explorative Studie in Klassen des 1., 3., 5. und 7. Schuljahres im Kanton Bern [Students’ conceptions on space, time and history-related topics. An exploratory study in classes of the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th school year in the canton of Bern]. Münster: University of Muenster.
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). (1993). Benchmarks for science literacy. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
• Anderson, R. D. (2007). Inquiry as an organizing theme for science curricula. In S. K. Abell & N. G. Lederman (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Science Education (pp. 807–830). Mahwah, NJ: Routledge.
• Beck, K., & Krapp, A. (2001). Wissenschaftstheoretische Grundfragen der Pädagogischen Psychologie [Theoretical questions of educational psychology]. In A. Krapp & B. Weidenmann (Eds.), Pädagogische psychologie (pp. 31–73). Weinheim: BeltzPVU.
• Blömer, A. (2012): Schülervorstellungen zum tropischen Regenwald. Eine empirische Studie zu einem zentralen Thema des Geographieunterrichts [Students' preconceptions of the tropical rainforest. An empirical survey of a main topic in geography lessons] (unpublished master’s thesis). Muenster: University of Muenster.
• Bortz, J., Döring, N. (2009). Forschungsmethoden und Evaluation für Human- und Sozialwissenschaftler [Research Methods and Evaluation for human and social scientists]. Heidelberg: Springer.
• Boyes, E., Skamp, K., & Stanisstreet, M. (2009). Australian secondary students’ views about global warming. Beliefs about actions, and willingness to act. Research in Science Education, 39(5), 661–680.
• Boyes, E., & Stanisstreet, M. (1993). The 'greenhouse effect': Children's perceptions of causes, consequences and cures. International Journal of Science Education, 15(5), 531–552.
• Burton, D. N., Robert, H. A., & Francek, M. A. (1992). Clarification of selected misconceptions in physical geography. Journal of Geography, 91(2), 76–80.
• Confrey, J. (1990). A review of the research on student conceptions in mathematics, science, and programming. Review of Research in Education, 16, 3–56.
• Dickerson, D., & Dawkins, K. (2004). Eighth grade students’ understandings of groundwater. Journal of Geoscience Education, 52(2), 178–181.
• Dittmann, S. (2009). Bodenversalzung. Fachliche Vorstellungen und Schülervorstellungen zu einem geographischen Themenklassiker [Soil salinization. Scientific explanations and students‘ conceptions of classic topic within geography]. Oldenburg: Diz.
• Dove, J. (1998). Students’ alternative conceptions in Earth science: A review of research and implications for teaching and learning. Research Papers in Education, 13(2), 183–201.
• Dove, J. (1999). Immaculate misconceptions. Sheffield: Geographical Association.
• Duit, R. (1995). Zur Rolle der konstruktivistischen Sichtweise in der naturwissenschaftsdidaktischen Lehr-Lernforschung [The role of the constructivist perspective educational research in science]. Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 41(6), 905–926.
• Duit, R. (2006): Schülervorstellungen und Lernen von Physik - Forschungsergebnisse und die Realität der Unterrichtspraxis [Students’ conceptions and learning of physics – Empirical results and the situation in everyday teaching]. In R. Girwidz, M. Gläser-Zikuda, M. Laukenmann, & T. Rubitzko (Eds.), Lernen im Physikunterricht. Festschrift für Prof. Dr. Christoph von Rhöneck (pp. 13–22). Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovac.
• Duit, R. (2009). Bibliography - STCSE. Students’ and teachers' conceptions and science education. Retrieved from http://www.ipn.uni-kiel.de/aktuell/stcse/stcse.html
• Flick, U. (2007). Qualitative Sozialforschung. Eine Einführung [Qualitative research in social science. An introduction]. Reinbek: Rororo.
• Gerstenmaier, J., & Mandl, H. (1995). Wissenserwerb unter konstruktivistischer Perspektive [Knowledge acquisition in a constructivist perspective]. Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 41(6), 867–888.
• Glaser, B. G., & Strauß, A. L. (2009). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. 4th paperback printing. New Brunswick, NJ: Aldine Transaction.
• Gropengießer, H. (2005). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse in der fachdidaktischen LehrLernforschung [Qualitative content analysis in educational research in science]. In P. Mayring & M. Gläser-Zikuda (Eds.), Die Praxis der Qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse (pp. 172–189). Weinheim, Basel: Beltz.
• Gropengießer, H. (2007). Didaktische Rekonstruktion des Sehens. Wissenschaftliche Theorien und die Sicht der Schüler in der Perspektive der Vermittlung [Didactical reconstruction of vision. Scientific theories and students’ perspectives in the view of a knowledge transfer]. Oldenburg: BIS.
• Holsti, O. R. (1969). Content analysis for the social sciences and humanities. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
• Hopwood, N. (2004). Pupils’ Conceptions of Geography. Towards an Improved Understanding. In: International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education 13(4), 348– 361.
• Janßen-Bartels, A., & Sander, E. (2004). Verallgemeinerung qualitativer Daten in der biologiedidaktischen Lehr-Lernforschung [Generalization of qualitative data in educational research in biology]. In H. Gropengießer, A. Janßen-Bartels, & E. Sander (Eds.), Lehren fürs Leben. Didaktische Rekonstruktion in der Biologie (pp. 109–118). Köln: Aulis.
• Kelle, U., & Erzberger, C. (2004). Qualitative and quantitative methods: Not in opposition. In U. Flick, E. von Kardorff & I. Steinke (Eds.). A companion to qualitative research (pp. 172–177). London: SAGE.
• Kelle, U., & Kluge, S. (2010). Vom Einzelfall zum Typus. Fallvergleich und Fallkontrastierung in der qualitativen Sozialforschung [From individual case to type. Case comparison and case contrast in qualitative social research]. Wiesbaden: Springer.
• Kortz, K. M., Murray, D. P. (2009). Barriers to College Students Learning How Rocks Form. In: Journal of Geoscience Education 57(4), 300–315.
• Krüger, D. (2007). Die Conceptual Change-Theorie [Theory of conceptual change]. In D. Krüger & H. Vogt (Eds.), Theorien in der biologiedidaktischen Forschung. Ein Handbuch für Lehramtsstudenten und Doktoranden (pp. 81–92). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
• Kuckartz, U. (2010). Einführung in die computergestützte Analyse qualitativer Daten [Introduction to computer-assisted analysis of qualitative data]. Wiesbaden: VS.
• Lamnek, S. (2010). Qualitative Sozialforschung. Lehrbuch [Qualitative research in social science]. Weinheim, Basel: Beltz.
• Lethmate, J. (2007). “Didaktische Rekonstruktion” als Forschungsrahmen der Geographiedidaktik. [Educational reconstruction – framework for educational research in earth sciences]. Geographische Rundschau, 59(7/8), 54–59.
• Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park: Sage.
• Mayring, P. (2000). Qualitative content analysis. Forum Qualitative Social Research, 1(2). Retrieved from http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view /1089/2386
• Mayring, P. (2002). Einführung in die qualitative Sozialforschung. Eine Anleitung zu qualitativem Denken [Introduction to qualitative social research. A manual to qualitative thinking]. Weinheim, Basel: Beltz.
• Meadows, G., & Wiesenmayer, R. L. (1999). Identifying and addressing students’ alternative conceptions of the causes of global warming: The need for cognitive conflict. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 8(3), 235–239.
• Mey, G., & Mruck, K. (2007). Qualitative interviews. In G. Naderer & E. Balzer (Eds.), Handbuch Marktforschung (pp. 247–278). Wiesbaden: Gabler.
• Möller, K. (1999). Konstruktivistisch orientierte Lehr-Lernprozessforschung im naturwissenschaftlich-technischen Bereich des Sachunterrichts [Constructivist research on learning and teaching processes in the field of natural science and technology within primary science]. In W. Köhnlein (Ed.), Vielperspektivisches Denken im Sachunterricht (pp. 125– 191). Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt.
• Möller, K. (2010). Lernen von Naturwissenschaft heisst: Konzepte verändern [Learning from natural sciences means: Change of concepts]. In P. Labudde (Ed.), Fachdidaktik Naturwissenschaft. 1.-9. Schuljahr (pp. 57–72). Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: UTB.
• National Research Council (NRC). (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
• Niedderer, H., & Schecker, H. (1992). Towards an explicit description of cognitive systems for research in physics learning. In R. Duit, F. M. Goldberg, & H. Niedderer (Eds.), Research in physics learning: Theoretical issues and empirical studies; proceedings of an international workshop (pp. 74–98). Kiel: IPN.
• Patton, M. Q. (1999). Enhancing the quality and credibility of qualitative analysis. Health Services Research, 34(5), 1189–1208.
• Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Rappaport, E. D. (2009). What Undergraduates Think About Clouds and Fog. In: Journal of Geoscience Education 57(4), 145–151.
• Reinders, H. (2005). Qualitative Interviews mit Jugendlichen führen [Qualitative interview studies with young persons]. München: Oldenbourg.
• Reinfried, S. (2006). Conceptual change in physical geography and environmental sciences through mental model building: The example of groundwater. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 15(1), 41–61.
• Reinfried, S. (2007). Alltagsvorstellungen und Lernen im Fach Geographie. Zur Bedeutung der konstruktivistischen Lehr-Lerntheorie am Beispiel des Conceptual Change [Preconceptions and learning in geography. The importance of constructivist teaching and learning theory by the example of conceptual change]. Geographie und Schule, 29(168), 19–28.
• Reinfried, S., Aeschbacher, U., & Rottermann, B. (2012). Improving students’ conceptual understanding of the greenhouse effect using theory-based learning materials that promote deep learning. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 21(2), 155–178.
• Reinfried, S., & Schuler, S. (2009). Die Ludwigsburg-Luzerner Bibliographie zur Alltagsvorstellungsforschung in den Geowissenschaften - ein Projekt zur Erfassung der internationalen Forschungsliteratur [The Ludwigsburg-Lucerne bibliography on conceptual change research in the geosciences – A project to establish a comprehensive collection of international research papers in the field]. Journal of Geography Education, 37(3), 120–135.
• Reinmann, G., & Mandl, H. (2006). Unterrichten und Lernumgebung gestalten [Teaching and creating learning environments]. In A. Krapp & B. Weidenmann (Eds.), Pädagogische Psychologie. Ein Lehrbuch (pp. 613–658). Weinheim, Basel: Beltz.
• Riemeier, T. (2007). Moderater Konstruktivismus [Moderate constructivism]. In D. Krüger & H. Vogt (Eds.), Theorien in der biologiedidaktischen Forschung – Ein Handbuch für Lehramtsstudenten und Doktoranden (pp. 69–79). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
• Schubert, J. C. (2012). Schülervorstellungen zu Wüsten und Desertifikation – Eine empirische Untersuchung zu einem zentralen Thema des Geographieunterrichts [Students’ conceptions on the topic of deserts and desertification – An empirical research project on a crucial topic of geography classrooms]. Muenster: University of Muenster.
• Steinke, I. (2004). Quality criteria in qualitative research, In U. Flick, E. von Kardorff, & I. Steinke (Eds.), A companion to qualitative research (pp. 184–190). London: Sage. Vosniadou, S., & Brewer, W. F. (1992): Mental Models of the Earth: A Study of Conceptual Change in Childhood. In: Cognitive Psychology 24 (4), 535–585.
• Wilson, T. P. (1982). Qualitative "oder" quantitative Methoden in der Sozialforschung [Qualitative „or“ quantitative methods in social science]. In: Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 34(3), 487–508.
• Witzel, A. (2000). The problem-centered interview, Forum Qualitative Social Research, 1(1). Retrieved from http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article /view/1132