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Misconceptions in Science
Marv Tolman
“Sometimes we learn false concepts, commonly called ‘misconceptions.’ These data can enter into the processing of new information and interfere with the correct interpretation of new information or experiences . . . Students must confront the inconsistencies that lie between their mental notions and the new information before they can deal productively with the new ideas.” (Tolman, Discovering Elem. Science: Method, Content, and Problem-Solving Activities, 3rd edition, Allyn & Bacon, 2002, p. 26).
Note: If some of the bricks used in building a house were improperly cured, the inferior bricks become part of the house. Covering them over with stucco will not strengthen that part of the wall very much. To correct the flaw, the weak part of the wall must be identified and the bad bricks removed and replaced with good bricks. Since poorly cured bricks look the same as properly cured ones, identifying and removing the interfering weak elements can be very difficult. Similarly, it is necessary but very difficult to identify and remove misconceptions because like cancers, they continue to erode the formation of correct concepts.
“Every time we communicate, new concepts compete with the preconceived ideas of our listeners. All students hold these ideas, but they are unaware of their private theories.”
From the video “A Private Universe; Misconceptions That Block Learning.”
Produced at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Distributed by: The Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
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Examples of common misconceptions:
Grade 3
- Wool clothing produces heat. The loose fibers of the wool clothing trap your body heat and make you feel warmer.
Grade 4
- Both steam and clouds are water as a gas. If you can see it, it is a solid or a liquid, not a gas.
- A larger number cannot be subtracted from a smaller number. 5 - 8 = -3 Draw a number line and prove this misconception.
- The four pieces of this rectangle are not equal shares. Cut/tear a rectangular piece of paper to prove your theory.
