Sydney Tutoring: On Fundamentals and Misconceptions

Misconceptions in education are widespread. If not recognised and corrected early on they can significantly hinder a student’s understanding and progress. Incorrect beliefs about facts or concepts can develop from a variety of sources, including prior knowledge, everyday experiences, or misleading/ false information found online or in secondary sources. Sometimes misconceptions occur when an idea from one subject is carried over into a different subject.  For educators, it is important to identify and correct these misconceptions lest the students develop an increasingly inaccurate misunderstanding based on false facts and false ideas.

 

Examples of types of Misconceptions

 

Confusing the Map with the Territory

Abstract ideas, map and diagrams are representations of objects and phenomena in the real world. They are inevitably simplified. It is a mistake to think that the simple representation is the truth. A globe is a model of the world, but the world is inconceivably complex. There can be a trade-off between complexity and useful simplicity. A good model is simple and reasonably accurate.

 

Simple Models – The Atom

Like the map and territory, scientific models are simplified. This is useful, but limited. The understanding we have based in the Rutherford atom, electrons orbiting a nucleus, is useful for classic physics. But we need a more complex model for quantum mechanics. Sometimes an old model is completely replaced. Sometimes it is used for some subject areas, but not others.

 

Confusing Ideas Across Subject

Some students feel the evolution and entropy seem to contradict. But evolution is about living creatures developing over long periods of time. Entropy is about inanimate objects falling into disarray (a mess) over period of time. Likewise, it is true in classic physics that every physical action has an equal and opposite reaction. This is not true in psychology or most other subjects. It is not true in subatomic physics.

 

Reductionism

It was once a common idea to believe we could always understand something better by reducing it into its constituent parts. This might work on some things, or it might help with many things. But the way the pieces join together is at least as important as the pieces themselves. A pile of disconnected parts cannot be understood or recognised as a car unless we have some idea of what a car is. Only when the parts are connected and working together will we understand.

 

Common Misconceptions in Various Subjects

Misconceptions can occur across all subjects, affecting students’ ability to grasp more complex concepts as they progress. Below are some common misconceptions found in different subject areas:

 

1. Science:

Evolution

A common misconception is that individuals evolve during their lifetime in response to their environment. In reality, evolution occurs over multiple  generations as a result of natural selection acting on variations within a population.

Gravity

Many students believe that gravity only acts on objects that are falling or that it is stronger on heavier objects. Cartoon programs give the wrong impression to many children. In truth, Gravity is a force that acts on all objects with mass, regardless of whether they are moving or stationary. A person jumping from a plane with or without a parachute will have about the same weight, and the same reaction with gravity. So why does the parachute slow them down? Air resistance.

Summer and Winter

Some people are under the impression that the seasons are caused by the Earth’s distance from the Sun. But this doesn’t explain how one hemisphere has summer while the other has winter! In truth, it is the 23degree angle of the Earth that causes the seasons.

Electricity

Some students think that electricity is used up as it flows through a circuit. While a battery might be drained as it is used, the electrical current flows in a continuous loop, and energy is always conserved as it will be changed into a different form, like heat, light or motion.

 

2. Mathematics:

Fractions

A common misconception is that multiplying fractions results in a larger number, similar to multiplying whole numbers. However, multiplying fractions usually results in a smaller number because fractions represent parts of a whole.

Equal Signs

Students often misinterpret the equal sign as a signal to perform a calculation rather than as a symbol of equivalence. This can lead to misunderstandings in algebra when balancing equations.

Negative Numbers

Some students believe that negative numbers do not have real-world applications or that subtracting a negative number results in a smaller number, when in fact it makes the number larger. Negative numbers are used in everything from banking to electronic circuit design.

 

3. History:

Historical Figures

Students may mistakenly believe that historical figures were universally respected or admired in their time, when in reality, many faced significant opposition or controversy. The realtity was complex.

Chronology

It is too easy to  assume that historical events occurred in isolation rather than understanding that events are interconnected and influence one another within and across time periods.

Historical Accuracy

Misconceptions about history often stem from oversimplified or romanticized portrayals in media. For example, the “Wild West” is often seen as a lawless, chaotic period, when in fact, many towns had established legal systems and order. Gunfights and robberies were relatively rare.

 

4. Language Arts:

Reading Comprehension

A misconception is that students should focus solely on decoding words rather than understanding the meaning of the text as a whole. This can lead to struggles with comprehension, especially as texts become more complex. Emphasis that context is everything. At the same time, occasionally the meaning of a single word can change the meaning of a text.

Grammar Rules

Students might think that grammar rules are rigid and unchanging, when in fact, language evolves over time, and certain “rules” can be more flexible depending on context. Dialogue in fiction may use incorrect grammar (or slang) as long as the meaning is clear, and it reflects the character. Dialogue should also sound poetic in the way that street talk has a certain type of poetry.

Writing Process

Some students believe that good writing happens in one draft, not recognizing that revision and editing are crucial parts of the writing process. A first draft quite often does contain a few inspired ideas and turns of phrase. We usually keep these. Further drafts build on the first draft. At the same time, we don’t want to lose any merits that the first draft had.

 

 

Recognising Misconceptions in Students

Identifying misconceptions in students is the first step toward correcting them. Teachers can recognize these misunderstandings through various methods:

 

1. Diagnostic Assessments:

Pre-assessment

Before beginning a new topic, teachers can use pre-assessments to gauge students’ existing knowledge and identify any misconceptions. These assessments can take the form of quizzes, concept maps, or open-ended questions.

Class Discussions

Engaging students in discussions allows teachers to listen for incorrect statements or reasoning. For example, a teacher might ask students to explain their thinking on a problem, which can reveal underlying misconceptions.

 

2. Student Work Analysis:

Homework and Tests

Regular review of homework and test results can help teachers identify patterns in errors that suggest a misconception. For example, if a significant number of students consistently solve a particular type of math problem incorrectly, this may indicate a shared misunderstanding.

Written Explanations

Asking students to write out their thought process for solving a problem or answering a question can provide insight into their understanding and reveal any misconceptions.

 

3. Conceptual Discussions:

Probing Questions

Teachers can ask probing questions that challenge students to think deeply about their understanding. For example, in a science class, a teacher might ask, “What would happen if we doubled the amount of force applied to an object? Why?” This can help uncover incorrect assumptions about force and motion.

Peer Teaching

Having students explain concepts to each other can also bring misconceptions to light. When a student explains something incorrectly, it gives the teacher an opportunity to address the misconception.

 

Addressing Misconceptions

Once identified, misconceptions need to be addressed directly to ensure that students do not build further knowledge on an incorrect foundation.

1. Corrective Instruction:

 

Explicit Teaching

Teachers should provide clear, accurate explanations that directly address the misconception. For example, when correcting the misconception that “heavier objects fall faster,” a teacher might use demonstrations or simulations to show that all objects fall at the same rate when air resistance is negligible.

Use of Analogies

Analogies can be effective in helping students understand complex concepts by relating them to something familiar. For instance, explaining electrical circuits by comparing them to water flowing through pipes can help students visualize how electricity works.

 

2. Encouraging Conceptual Change:

 

Confronting Misconceptions

Teachers can create situations where the misconception is challenged, leading students to realise the flaw in their thinking. For example, in math, teachers might present a problem that cannot be solved using a misconception, prompting students to reconsider their approach.

Building on Prior Knowledge

Linking new concepts to what students already know, while carefully addressing any misconceptions, helps students adjust their understanding. This scaffolding technique supports the transition from incorrect to correct knowledge.

 

3. Continuous Monitoring:

 

Ongoing Assessment

Misconceptions can re-emerge if not consistently addressed. Teachers should regularly assess students’ understanding through quizzes, discussions, and assignments to ensure that misconceptions have been corrected.

 

 

Edukingdom Tutoring in Sydney for High School and Primary School.

Addressing misconceptions in learning and teaching is a critical part of the educational process. By actively recognizing and correcting these errors in understanding, teachers can help students build a more accurate and comprehensive knowledge base, leading to better learning outcomes and academic success.

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