Models of conceptual change in science learning: establishing an exhaustive inventory based on support given by articles published in major journals

ABSTRACT

In this article, we propose an analysis of the state of, and trends in, the field of conceptual change research in science education through the lens of its models. Using a quantitative approach, we reviewed all conceptual change articles (n = 245) published in five major journals in the field of science education in search of the support that their authors give to conceptual change models (CC models). We looked for support in the form of explicit or implicit mentions, favourable and unfavourable position statements and empirical confirmations and refutations. The results present a thorough description of all types of support, as well as their evolution from the early days of the field to today. We also propose a hierarchical list of the 86 CC models that we have recorded, appearing in decreasing order by the support they received from the literature. General comments are formulated in order to provide an interpretation of the field and its evolution.

KEYWORDS:

• Conceptual change
• models
• science
• review
• inventory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemenatal data for thisa article can be accessed here.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. Vygotsky, Bandura, Ausubel, Anderson, Popper, Lakatos, Laudan and Feyerabend could also be considered.

2. Objective initiatives have, however, been undertaken to present summaries of these two approaches (Özdemir & Clark, 2007).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fonds Québécois de Recherche Société et Culture (FRQSC: Grant no. 2019-SE3-252952); the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC: Grant no. 111723); the Faculté des Sciences de l’Éducation of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM); and the Équipe de recherche en éducation scientifique et technologique (ÉREST).

Notes on contributors

Patrice Potvin

Patrice Potvin (Ph. D.) is a professor of science and technology education at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in Canada. Director of the Science and Technology Education Research Team (EREST) and member of the Royal Society of Canada, his research and development interests focus on student interest in science, open science learning, computer–assisted learning, teacher training, and conceptual change through a neuro–educational approach.

Lucian Nenciovici

Lucian Nenciovici (M. A.) is a Ph. D. student in science and technology education and a teacher at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in Canada with research focus on neuroeducation and meta–analysis methodologies.

Guillaume Malenfant-Robichaud

Guillaume Malenfant-Robichaud (M. A.) is a contributor of the S&T Education Research Team (EREST) and a mathematics and science adult educator. His research interests focus on conceptual change through a neuro–educational approach particularly in chemistry education.

François Thibault

François Thibault (M. A.) is a Ph. D. student in science and technology education and a lecturer at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). His research interests are mostly focused on conceptual change and its underlying cognitive processes.

Ousmane Sy

Ousmane Sy (Ph. D.) is a professor of science and technology at the Université du Quebec à Trois-Riviéres (UQTR) in Canada and co–director of the Interdisciplinary Laboratory in Pedagogical Integration of ICT (LIIPTIC). He is specialized in the study of the dynamics of interactions between the dimensions of effective teaching practice and students’ interest in S&T.

Mohamed Amine Mahhou

Mohamed Amine Mahhou is an undergraduate student in S&T high school education at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Since he joined the S&T Education Research Team (STERT/EREST), his main interest has been context-based approaches to physics teaching with the goal of raising students’ interest. He also works as a research assistant under the leadership of Patrick Charland in a project focusing on student engagement, and with Olivier Arvisais in projects focusing on education in the context of emergency.

Alex Bernard

Alex Bernard (M. A.) is a contributor of the S&T Education Research Team (EREST) and an elementary teacher working with children with special needs in reading, writing and mathematics. His research interests focus on developing effective practice for teaching French grammar and syntax at the elementary level.

Geneviève Allaire-Duquette

Geneviève Allaire-Duquette (Ph. D.) is currently pursuing her postdoctoral research at Tel Aviv University’s School of Education. Her work focuses on understanding mechanisms of reasoning in science and mathematics using cognitive neuroscience methods. More specifically, she is interested in the mechanisms underlying the ability to overcome intuitive interference to formal/logical reasoning.

Jérémie Blanchette Sarrasin

Jérémie Blanchette Sarrasin (M. A.) is a Ph.D. student in the field of Mind, Brain and Education and a teacher at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in Canada. Her research interests focus on the cerebral mechanisms involved in reasoning in science and mathematics using cognitive neuroscience methods.

Lorie-Marlène Brault Foisy

Lorie-Marlène Brault Foisy is a professor in the field of early childhood at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in Canada. Her research interest focus on the cognitive and cerebral mechanisms involved in early learning, particularly in science and reading. She is also interested more generally in the role of executive functions in early childhood development and learning and the identification of effective educational interventions.

Nancy Brouillette

Nancy Brouillette (M. A.) is a Ph.D. student in science and technology education, pedagogical counsellor at the Commission scolaire de l’Énergie and lecturer at the Université du Québec à Trois-Riviéres (UQTR) in Canada. Her research interests focus on technological design process with the goal of raising students’ interest.

Audrey-Anne St-Aubin

Audrey-Anne St-Aubin is a contributor of the S&T Education Research Team (EREST), a graduate student of science education at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and a junior environmental project manager.

Patrick Charland

Patrick Charland (Ph. D.) is a professor of science and technology education at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in Canada and co–holder of the UNESCO Research Chair in Curriculum Development (CUDC). He is specialized in the study of the dynamic of interactions between the dimensions of engagement and situational interest in real time with the collection and analysis of behavioral, cognitive and emotional data.

Steve Masson

Steve Masson (Ph. D.) is a professor of neuroeducation at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in Canada and director of the Laboratory for Research in Neuroeducation (LRN). Using the functional magnetic resonance imaging, he studies the brain mechanisms related to school learning and teaching. His research interests focus on the effects of teaching practices on the brain, and the role of neuroscience in teaching.

Martin Riopel

Martin Riopel (Ph. D.) is a professor of science and technology education and vice–dean of research at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in Canada. His research interests focus on computer–assisted learning, serious games, learning models and neuroeducation. He also holds the Research Chair on Educational Innovation (CRIP) at the Paris–Saclay University in France.

Chin-Chung Tsai

Chin-Chung Tsai (Ph. D.) is currently a Chair Professor and Dean for School of Learning Informatics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan. He is also the Director of the Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University. Since July 2009, he has been appointed as the Co-Editor of Computers & Education (SSCI, IF= 5.627, rank 3/243). He is also currently served as the Editor of International Journal of Science Education (indexed in SSCI). His research interests deal largely with constructivism, epistemic beliefs, and various types of technology–enhanced (such as VR, AR, game) instruction. He has a publication record of more than 300 SSCI papers in recent 20 years.

Michel Bélanger

Michel Bélanger (Ph. D.) is a professor of science and technology education at the Universit) du Qu)bec à Rimouski (UQAR) in Canada. His research interests focus on the history of science education and representational pluralism in science learning.

Pierre Chastenay

Pierre Chastenay (Ph. D.) is an astronomer and a professor of science and technology education at the Universit) du Qu)bec à Montr)al (UQAM) in Canada. He mainly does research in science teaching and astronomy teaching at the elementary level. His current projects deal with spatial abilities and astronomy education, teaching the phases of the Moon, Teaching astronomy by doing astronomy like astronomers, and using a full–dome digital planetarium to teach astronomical concepts.