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Misconceptions in Astronomy: Cognitive Development Perspectives

Study on misconceptions in astronomy based on cognitive development theories, age, and education levels. Results from Italian-Spanish research on universe perception and gravity understanding. Lessons learned and strategies to eradicate misconceptions.

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Misconceptions in Astronomy: Cognitive Development Perspectives

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  1. Communicating Astronomy with the Public Athens, Greece 8-11 October 2007 A. Teresa Gallego Calvente Stefano Sandrelli Amelia Ortiz Gil MISCONCEPTIONS IN ASTRONOMY

  2. MISCONCEPTIONS IN ASTRONOMY Study performed by • Astronomical Observatory of Brera (Italy) • Astronomical Observatory of the University of Valencia (Spain) based on “Astronomical Pills: one-shot questions about the Universe” (F. Cavalloti, S. Romaniello & S. Sandrelli; CAP 2005, Munich) CAP 2007; Athens, Greece, 8-11 October

  3. Where are misconceptions from? CAP 2007; Athens, Greece, 8-11 October

  4. What misconceptions depend on? In the past century: • Piaget’s theory about cognitive development by phases => depend only on age Modern theories: • Cognitive structures interact with learnt contents and produce resistant conceptual schemes => social framework, educational level and age (e.g. Cavallini, 1995; Mayer, 1990)

  5. SO … Sandrelli et al. explored their evolution (if any) depending on age and socio-educational factors, from a cognitive structures point of view. BUT … What it happens in other countries?

  6. ITALIAN-SPANISH SAMPLE • 11-13 years old (last years of junior school) • 14-16 years old (first two years of secondary school) • More than 16 years old (last years of secondary school) And from different types of school Spain Italy

  7. TEST FEATURES • More than 2000 tests between Italy and Spain… • 9 questions, some closed-answer questions with multiple-choice on common- and scientific-sense and some open-answer questions.

  8. 13-14 yrs 14-16 yrs > 16 yrs DATA ANALYSISPerception of the Universe Three possible scenarios: • “Cosmic Box” • “Solar System” • “Empty Expanse”

  9. DATA ANALYSISPerception of distances • For the size of the Solar System, students had the correct idea about the order of magnitude • Students seem to know nothing about hyerarchy in the Universe.

  10. DATA ANALYSISGravity (I) Italian group obtained evidence that language formalism significantly affects the subjects’ answers irrespective of school grade.

  11. DATA ANALYSISGravity (II) Most people seemed to have assimilated the concept of gravity, but other questions showed the opposite result…

  12. LESSONS LEARNT The Italian-Spanish research results agree in the following: • Results suggest that age and schooling do not modify the most basic ideas regarding the Universe. • Some misconceptions were demonstrated to be difficult to eradicate, while others are affected by the use of a specific language form. • Misconceptions are resistant to time: our results are very similar to surveys carried out ~15 years ago.

  13. LESSONS LEARNT • We did not find any significative difference between boys and girls either.

  14. WHAT CAN WE DO TO ERADICATE MISCONCEPTIONS? • Focus efforts on helping to change these schemes by inducing on the students “clash of ideas” situations In that way students could adquire a dynamic mental model consistent with the scientific model

  15. IN THAT WAY… • “New” All-Skymaps • Talks inducing “clash of ideas” situations.

  16. NEXT STEPS • Finish a new program of activities in this way. • Design a evaluation strategy about efficiency valid from Experimental Sciences point of view (maybe a triangular scheme) • Study lessons learnt

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