I was quite intrigued by Edelson et al.’s (2002) referral to a study that found pre-service teachers possessed many misconceptions about the cause of the seasons. After a little searching I found a more recent article (King, 2010), in which a broad survey of textbooks for Earth Science was performed with the purpose of identifying errors and oversimplifications. King reports over 400 such errors were found in only 29 textbooks/series. King also reports that web site information, often touted as more agile than text books, is also problematic, pointing out the well respected BBC web site also includes many misconceptions in the area of earth science. Since the main sources of information contain so many misconceptions there can be no wondering that students and indeed preservice teachers have problems with earth science.
I am not an earth science specialist, but I like to think my science knowledge is pretty good, especially in areas I have taught. However in King’s (2010) itemized list of the 15 most common errors found, I was surprised to see many concepts from BC’s Science 10 curriculum, which I have taught, on the list and problematic for myself. For example, according to King’s report, the relationships between the mantle, the crust and the plates are oversimplified in my mind, and perhaps even in the BC curriculum itself. King suggests at least some of the errors and misconceptions in the texts could be a result of the authors failing to keep current in earth science; the concepts misrepresented were often explained as they were accepted in the past, concepts that earth scientists have refined and improved upon over the years. I know my knowledge of earth science concepts has not been updated by keeping current other than checking textbooks, which I now know cannot be trusted to provide current knowledge to myself or my students.
This is, of course, a major challenge to students in building knowledge in earth science, and a major warning to educational technologists. The solution for students knowledge building is to ensure the teacher keeps their knowledge up to date. Educational technologists have multiple challenges – not only must the technology they choose offer affordances to students, but, more importantly, the resources developed for and used in technology enhanced learning environments must be conceptually and canonically correct, because if technology can assist in learning, in making learning more effective and efficient , it can also assist in mis-learning, making learning misconceptions more effective and efficient.
Edelson, D. C., Salierno, C., Matese, G., Pitts, V., & Sherin, B. (2002). (Draft) Learning-for-Use in earth science: Kids as climate modelers. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA. retrieved from www.worldwatcher.northwestern.edu/userdownloads/pdf/LFU_PF_NARST02.v3.doc.
King, C. (2010). An analysis of misconceptions in science textbooks: Earth science in England and Wales. International Journal of Science Education, 35(5), pp. 565-601. Retrieved from www.tandfonline.com.
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