Pupils’ questions, alternative frameworks and the design of science teaching

Abstract

This study investigates a method of obtaining information about pupils’ learning difficulties using questions that they ask about what they are uncertain of or are finding difficulty with. Six classes of pupils in Portugal aged 15‐16 were studied during lessons about heat, energy and temperature. The questions the pupils wanted to ask were obtained by the teacher stopping the lessons from time to time and requesting the pupils write down any questions they wished about problems or difficulties they were having. Five hundred and fifty‐eight questions were asked by 183 pupils. The questions revealed most of the known alternative frameworks in the topic. However, the large majority of the questions, 85 per cent, were not founded upon alternative frameworks, but stemmed from a need for better and clearer explanations of the logical interconnections in the subject. It is suggested that the logical organisation of the subject would, overall, be a better basis than alternative frameworks for teaching this topic.