Research On Students’ Scientific Concept Learning Procession

Scientific concept is the basic unit of scientific knowledge, also is the main part of the structure of scientific discipline. Helping students construct scientific concept, to promote a systematic and structured scientific knowledge, science courses under the new curriculum idea is one of the main teaching goal to achieve. It is one of the main teaching aims to help students to construct scientific concepts, and promote a systematic and structured scientific knowledge.With the promulgation of the new framework for K-12 science education, research on scientific concepts teaching from the exploration of students’ misconceptions and conceptual change to explore the concepts’ longitudinal development process, then the learning procession has rapidly been a hot spot in science education research, teaching research based on learning procession is becoming one of the research directions.This research summarizes the results of the domestic and international researches about "learning progression" through literature research, to provide the theoretical basis for the development of the subject. Taking 4-9 grade students’ "simple circuit mechanism" learning as an example to explore the actual learning procession of students’ scientific concept and the existing problems, analyze the common problems existing in curriculum and scientific concept teaching, and thus puts forward relevant suggestions.The study mainly focuses on the following problems:1. What is "simple circuit mechanism" concept content? What specific concepts are included?2. In theory, what level should be achieved by different grades students’ understanding of the "simple circuit mechanism" ?3. Under the current teaching conditions, what’s the students’ actual learning progression?4. Comparing the theoretical learning procession with actual learning progression, are they consistent? What problems exist in the process of students’ concept learning?5. What are the relationships between the actual learning situation with the current curriculum and concept teaching methods? How to optimize?Concept contents and relevant specific concepts have been defined through the study of the teaching materials and curriculum standards. Based on the literature of students’ simple circuit study, combined with the relevant teaching materials, curriculum standards and future learning construct an initial learning procession about "simple circuit mechanisms". Subsequently design questionnaire and interview outline to survey.Survey results show that, under the current teaching conditions, 4-9 grade student practical learning situations of "simple circuit mechanism" are as follows:(1) most students understanding of the circuit and current at a lower level before electricity learning, but still few students are able to achieve a higher level.(2) After the primary school study about circuit, most students’ understanding of the circuit connections can reach a higher level, but the understanding of current is still at a low level.(3) After junior high school learning, students’ understanding can basically reach the highest level, but the specific nature of the concept is still not fully understood. According to the survey results and analysis of the current science curriculum and teaching environment, it can be concluded that the causes of students actual learning situations may be the following:(1) The tightness of relation between "current working mechanism" and " circuit connection" affect the depth of students’ understanding of "circuit connection".(2) Too much attention to scientific facts memorizing and formula using lead students insufficient understanding of "series-parallel circuit characteristics".(3) Lack of the inquiry of circuit microscopic mechanisms leads to the misconceptions about current’s transiency and constancy.Finally, several strategies about the curriculum and classroom teaching have been proposed. For the curriculum:(1) Arrangement of curriculum contents should follow the students’ concept learning procession, and adjust the content gradient between different grades.(2) The curriculum objectives and evaluation should focus on students’ understanding of the concept mechanism. For classroom teaching:(1) the starting point of classroom instruction is students’ preconception, and following the students’ concept learning procession.(2) Classroom teaching should delve into the concept mechanism, focus on conceptual understanding, rather than verify or remember the facts.(3) Selecting appropriate analogy, clearing the analogical mapping relationship between the "body" and "metaphor".