Abstract
This study examined students’ alternative conceptions of reptiles and amphibians and the extent to which these conceptions remain intact through the elementary (grades 4 and 6), junior, and senior high school years. We administered multiple-choice and free-response instruments to a total of 513 students and interviewed at least 20 students at each educational level to get an in-depth view of their original conceptions. Then, we developed and administered a two-tier multiple choice diagnostic instrumentto assess various levels of students’ understanding of amphibians and reptiles(N=1267). The results showed that most students were able to classify snakes as reptiles, whereas fewer than 30% of the students across different ages classified sea turtles as reptiles; the remaining 70% classified sea turtles as amphibians. More students were able to correctly classify frogs as amphibians than toads. In most instances, students correctly classified “prototypical” representatives of the two animal classes more readily than less exemplary representatives, a finding that supports previous research (Trowbridge, J.E. andMintzes, J.J. (1988). Alternative conceptions in animal classification: A cross-age study. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 25(7), 547–571). Interestingly, the alternative views of sea turtles as amphibians remained intact throughout the school years. Interview data indicated that students classified sea turtles as amphibians largely because sea turtles are able to live in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Semantically, “amphi” means living on land and in water. When asked to distinguish between reptiles and amphibians and to classify several species into those two groups, a wide range of alternative conceptions emerged and the origin of those alternative conceptions are discussed. Similar results were obtained when we applied a two-tier multiple-choice diagnostic instrument to assess students’ understanding of amphibians and reptiles.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adeniyi, E.O. (1985). Misconceptions of selected ecological concepts held by Nigerian students. Journal of Biological Education, 19(4), 311–316.
Ausubel, D.P., Novak, J.D. & Hanesian, H. (1978). Educational psychology: A cognitive view. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Barrow, L.H. (2002). What do elementary students know about insects? Journal of Elementary Science Education, 14(2), 53–60.
Bell, B.F. (1981a). When is an animal not an animal? Journal of Biological Education, 15(3), 213–218.
Bell, B.F. (1981b). What is a plant? – some children’s ideas. New Zealand Science Teacher, 31, 10–14.
Brumby, M. (1984). Misconception about the concept of natural selection. Science Educational, 68(4), 493–503.
Carlsson, B. (2002). Ecological understanding: Transformation – a key to understanding. International Journal of Science Education, 24(7), 701–715.
Chunawala, S. et al. (1996). Diagnosing learning in primary science, Part I: Students’ ideas relating to living and non-living. Mumbai (Bombay): Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education.
Duit, R. (2002). Bibliography: Student’s and teacher’s conceptions and science education. University of Kiel, Germany: Leibnitz Institute for Science Education. Online at www.ipn.uni-kiel.de/aktuell/stcse/stcse/html
Gilbert, J.K., Osborne, R.J. & Fensham, P.J. (1982). Children’s science and its consequences for teaching. Science Education, 66(4), 623–633.
Griffiths, A.K. & Grant, B.A.C. (1985). High school students’ understanding of food webs: Identification of a learning hierarchy and related misconceptions. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 22(5), 421–436.
Halford, G.S. (1993). Children’s understanding: The development of mental models. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Hylerle, D. (1996). Visual tools for constructing knowledge. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Jewell, N. (2002). Examining children’s models of seed. Journal of Biological Education, 36(3), 116–122.
Kellert, S.R. (1985). Attitudes toward animals: Age-related development among children. Journal of Environmental Education, 16(3), 29–39.
Lee, C.-S., Chao, L.-L., Yao, T.-W. & Yen, C.-F. (2002). Elementary students’ alternative conceptions of animal classification. Paper presented at the Science Education Society of Chinese 18th annual meeting, Taipei, Taiwan.
Mintzes, J.J. (1984). Naive theories in biology: Children’s concepts of the human body. School Science and Mathematics, 84(7), 548–555.
Mintzes, J.J. (2003). Understanding and conceptual change: An international agenda from a human constructivist perspective. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Science and Mathematics Learning, Taipei (ROC), 16–18 December.
Mintzes, J.J., Wandersee, J.H. & Novak, J.D. (1998). Teaching science for understanding. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Mintzes, J.J., Wandersee, J.J. & Novak, J.D. (2000). Assessing science understanding. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Natadze, R.G. (1963). The mastery of scientific concepts in school. In Simon & Simon (Eds.), Educational psychology in the USSR. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Natarajan, C. (1996). Students’ ideas about plants – DLIPS, Part II. Mumbai (Bombay): Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education.
Nazario, G. et al. (2002). Persisting misconceptions: Using pre- and post-tests to identify biological misconceptions. Journal of College Science Teaching, 31(5), 292–296.
Novak, J.D. (1998). Learning, creating and using knowledge: Concept maps as facilitative tools in schools and corporations. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Novak, J.D. & Gowin, D.B. (1984). Learning how to learn. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Peterson, R.F. & Treagust, D.F. (1989). Grade-12 students’ misconceptions of covalent bonding and structure. Journal of Chemical Education, 66, 459–460.
Peterson, R.F., Treagust, D.F. & Garnett, P. (1989). Development and application of a diagnostic instrument to evaluate Grade-11 and -12 students’ concepts of covalent bonding and structure following a course of instruction. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 26, 301–314.
Ramadas, J. (1996). Diagnosing learning in primary science, Part III. Mumbai (Bombay): Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education.
Ryman, D. (1974). Children’s understanding of the classification of living organisms. Journal of Biological Education, 8, 140–144.
Treagust, D.F. (1988). The development and use of diagnostic instruments to evaluate students’ misconceptions in science. International Journal of Science Education, 10, 159–169.
Treagust, D.F. (1995). Diagnostic assessment of students’ science knowledge. In Glynn & Duit (Eds.), Learning science in the schools: Research reforming practice (pp. 327–346). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Trowbridge, J.E. & Mintzes, J.J. (1985). Students’ alternative conceptions of animals and animal classification. School Science and Mathematics, 85(4), 304–316.
Trowbridge, J.E. & Mintzes, J.J. (1988). Alternative conceptions in animal classification: A cross-age study. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 25(7), 547–571.
Wandersee, J.H. (1986). Plants or animals: Which do junior high school students prefer to study? Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 23(5), 415–426.
Wandersee, J.H., Mintzes, J.J. & Novak, J.D. (1994). Research on alternative conceptions in science. In Gabel (Ed.), Handbook of research in science teaching and learning (pp. 177–210). New York: Macmillan.
Yao, T.-W. & Yen, C.-F. (2001). The affect of language to students learning of animal classification. Paper presented at the Science Education Society of Chinese 17th annual meeting, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yao, T.-W., Yen, C.-F. & Chiou, Y.-C. (2002a). Development, use, and it’s limitation of two tiers diagnostic tests to evaluate students’ alternative conceptions in animal classification. Paper presented at the Science Education Society of Chinese 18th annual meeting, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yao, T.-W., Yen, C.-F. & Chiou, Y.-C. (2002b). Using mental model to investigate students’ alternative conceptions in animal diversity. Paper presented at the Science Education Society of Chinese 18th annual meeting, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yao, T.-W., Chiou, Y.-C., How, L.-H. & Yen, C.-F. (2003). The analysis of “biosphere” teaching unit in the junior high school textbooks. Paper presented at the Science Education Society of Chinese 19th annual meeting, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yen, C.-F., Yao, T.-W. & Chiou, Y.-C. (2003). Alternative conceptions in biodiversity: A cross-age study focuses in amphibians and reptiles. Paper presented at the International Conference on Science and Mathematics Learning, Taipei, Taiwan.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yen, CF., Yao, TW. & Chiu, YC. Alternative Conceptions in Animal Classification Focusing on Amphibians and Reptiles: A Cross-Age Study. Int J Sci Math Educ 2, 159–174 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-004-1951-z
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-004-1951-z