An application of constructivist theory: The effects of alternative framework diagnosis and conceptual change discussion on biology students' misconceptions, achievement, attitudes, and self-efficacy

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine two aspects of constructivism: (a) the diagnosis of students' prior concepts in biology; and (b) the allotment of class time strictly devoted to students' attempts to discuss and eventually construct valid biology concepts. The effects of these two aspects of the constructivist epistemology were applied and evaluated in the context of high school biology students' misconceptions and achievement in the topics of scientific method and measurement, spontaneous generation and the characteristics of life, and basic chemistry. This study also examined the effects of these aspects of constructivism on students' self-efficacy and attitudes toward science.; The study was conducted in two phases. In phase I, eight teachers completed a two-day inservice workshop during which they validated an alternative framework diagnostic biology instrument developed after work conducted by Treagust and his colleagues (Haslam & Treagust, 1987; Peterson & Treagust, 1989; Treagust, 1988). Also during this phase, teachers generated a list of strategies previously found successful for evoking conceptual conflict and discussion among biology students.; During phase II of the study, teachers administered the diagnostic instrument to their biology classes which had been randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Analyses of this diagnostic pretest were then used by teachers to guide biology conceptual change discussion periods with their experimental students for 15-20 minutes during every other class period. Control group classes followed their conventional routine during this time. At the end of the study's eight-week treatment period all students were posttested using the same biology instrument.; This study's findings supported the constructivist position that the diagnosis of students' alternative frameworks and the budgeting of time to specifically address these frameworks, lead to better pupil understanding of science concepts. When compared to the control group (n = 254), experimental students (n = 241) showed significantly fewer biology misconceptions (df = 1,485; F = 7.39; p =.0068) and higher biology achievement (df = 1,484; F = 8.14; p =.0045). Also, the experimental protocol seemed equally effective for males and females. However, a significant gender effect in attitudes, favoring males, was also evident from this study's results (df = 1,482; F = 8.74; p =.0033); and no evidence was found to show that the treatment influenced a change in the attitudes or self-efficacy of the students who participated in this research. These data imply that the diagnosis of biology students' alternative frameworks and the allotment of time to meaningfully address these concepts are effective strategies for enhancing students' eventual conceptual understanding. These strategies are therefore recommended for inclusion in both pre- and inservice teacher training.