Using the Cognitive Model of Conceptual Field to Study Students' Theory-Choice

• Main Authors: Lin, Ming-Liang, 林明良
• Other Authors: Chiang, Shing-Ho
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/04744457441346392439

博士 === 高雄師範大學 === 科學教育研究所 === 98 === The purpose of this study was to explore the model and mechanisms of theory-choice in high school students for providing a reference for science concept teaching. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were conducted. And the research tool, the Theory-Choice Questionnaire with Cronbach’s α of 0.90, construct validity assessed by factor analysis and content validity established by expert review, was developed. This study consists of three main parts. (1) Theoretical Construction. Cognitive neural science was integrated with the field concept in physics, and then via analogy and deduction approaches, two hypotheses, named the Use-it-or-lose-it Principle and the Least Action Principle, were proposed to build an interpreting model of students’ theory-choice called the Cognitive Model of Conceptual Field. In which the term “conceptual field” is analogized to the “brain’s neural network”, and a “conceptual well” is referred to a “concept” in the brain. (2) Instance Research. Based on the debate on “where the mud volcano’s water originated” as an instance, a pretest and posttest survey was conducted and the data were analyzed with factor analysis. Subjects were 311 public high school students clustering into 4 groups according to their choice made at the survey. Then 6 volunteer cases were selected among different groups and deeply interviewed with semi-structured questions. (3) Experimental Backup. A quasi-experimental pre-post-delay test approach was undertaken involving 48 public high school students, randomly divided into two groups each receiving a different treatment, to support the previous hypotheses. The results are as the following: 1. Model of Theory-Choice. If a student noticed an alternative interpretation of a phenomenon and had reviewed it, he would modify his original interpretation according to the Us-it-or-lose-it Principle and the Least Action Principle. In turn, he would evolve the landscape of his original conceptual well, and make a theory-choice depending on the update conceptual well and with the principles above mentioned. 2. Mechanisms of Theory-Choice. (1) One has to notice the existence of a new theory, and forms a temporary conceptual well. (2) The related original conceptual well is activated to compete with the new one. (3) A decision is made along with the Theory-Choice Model, and the private theory is updated. (4) The update conceptual well of the private theory would be consolidated, if it could continuously provide successful explanations for the various surrounding phenomena.