Teaching Methods

The broad focus of this study was on the role students ' existing conceptions play in the process of constructing and understanding mechanics concepts. The study was a naturalistic one, conducted over a number of years, at all grade levels, in one all-boys secondary school in Australia. In particular it was concerned with identifying and representing students ' existing conceptions, and investigating aspects of the process of conceptual change in classroom learning. A restructuring of teaching approach preceded the investigations of conceptual change. Alternative conceptions were found to be common and complex. Subsequent conceptual change was often, but not universally, achieved. At the level of individual students, this change was idiosyncratic, complex, and often unpredictable. Some change resulted in more sophisticated alternative conceptions. Students were also found to have naive views of learning, and perceptions of the content of physics and how it should be learned which would hinder their learning. (Auths.r/TW) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. A longitudinal classroom study of mechanics concepts and conceptual chang