Journal of Geoscience Education, National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Abstract
This study investigates misconceptions held by students about how rocks form. It involved analyzing narrative essays on rock formation written by pre-service elementary school teachers, most of whom had completed a college-level course in earth science. These misconceptions arise from deeply held but largely unexamined beliefs (conceptual prisms) that result from the interaction of the student's world view and personal experiences. The study addressed three basic research questions: how do students describe the process of rock formation in narrative essays?, are there common patterns in students' naive conceptions about geology?, and can these patterns be explained by a few underlying beliefs that shape student ideas? Educational levels: Graduate or professional
