Qualitative Analysis of College Students' Ideas about the Earth: Interviews and Open-Ended Questionnaires
http://www.nagt.org/files/nagt/jge/abstracts/Libarkin_v53n1.pdf

Julie Libarkin, Steven Anderson, Julie Dahl, Meredith Beilfuss, William Boone, Ohio University, Black Hills State University, Black Hills State University, Indiana University, Indiana University


NOTE: This is a large file, 165.8 mb in size! This article describes a study in which students' conceptual understanding about the Earth was examined. In the study, students enrolled in introductory science courses at four institutions, completed open-ended questionnaires, and participated in interviews. The institutions consisted of a small private university, two large state schools, and one small public liberal arts college. Students were probed on a variety of topics related to the Earth's crust and interior, and to geologic time. Analysis of questionnaire and interview responses indicates that students hold a number of non-scientific ideas about the Earth. Additionally, students apply a range of ontological categories to geologic phenomena, with significant implications for teaching geosciences from a systems perspective.

This description of a site outside SERC has not been vetted by SERC staff and may be incomplete or incorrect. If you have information we can use to flesh out or correct this record let us know.



Grade Level: Graduate/Professional
Research on Learning: Cognitive Domain:Misconceptions/barriers to learningKeywords: Beliefs and attitudes, Data collection, Data analysis, Data reporting