Beyond Declarative Knowledge in Science - Are You Really Teaching if No One is Learning

Ed Prather

Researchers with the Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education Research (CAPER) Team at the University of Arizona's Department of Astronomy are conducting fundamental research into students ideas over a range of science topics typically taught in non-science majors introductory science courses. Research in this field repeatedly demonstrates that students enter the classroom with many inaccurate scientific ideas that are poised to interfere with instruction. Our research indicates that these student ideas are difficult to change through conventional lecture alone. Moreover, the depth of student understanding is often masked when they are able to correctly answer test questions that are based on declarative knowledge. To better promote student learning, the results from our investigations are being used to inform curriculum development and instructional practices that are aimed at creating a learner centered environment in the large lecture classroom. Students working in this environment show substantial increases in their learning over conventional lecture.