Children's misconceptions on reproduction and implications for teaching

Abstract

Studies on misconceptions developed by children after instruction are important in revealing their difficulties in conceptualizing scientific knowledge and suggesting ways of remedy. This paper probes Certificate-level students’ (age 17+) understanding of the menstrual cycle by analyzing their performance on a multiple-choice item in a public examination. Many students showed problems in relating the time of conception to the condition of the uterine lining. By reviewing the possible causes of misunderstanding, it is suggested that conceptual development can be promoted by classroom instruction that avoids excessive factual detail, establishes meaningful connections between new and existing concepts, and takes into account students’ prior knowledge.

Keywords:

• Children's misconceptions
• Reproduction
• Teaching