A Case Study of One Student’s
Metaconceptual Processes and the
Changes in Her Alternative
Conceptions of Force and Motion
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Gazi Üniversitesi, Ankara, TURKEY |
Publication date: 2007-12-23
EURASIA J. Math., Sci Tech. Ed 2007;3(4):305–325
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ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper was to describe the changes in one student’s ideas about force and
one-dimensional motion concepts and portray the relevant metaconceptual processes that
she engaged in during the implementation of metaconceptual teaching interventions.
Metaconceptual processes involves metacognitive processes that are directly acting on or
related to individuals’ conceptions, mental models or elements of their conceptual ecology.
Several types of instructional activities including poster drawing, concept mapping, group
debate, journal writing and group and class discussions were used to activate students’
metaconceptual processes. The findings of the study indicated that the student changed all
of her alternative ideas that were assessed before the instruction with scientifically
accepted conceptions following the instruction. The findings also showed that the student
engaged in several types of metaconceptual processes ranging from simple awareness of
ideas to more sophisticated metaconceptual processes, such as metaconceptual monitoring
and evaluation. The findings strengthen the claims about the positive impact of
metaconceptual processes on changing students’ conceptions of physical world.