RECURRENT THEMES IN A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF

The present study of personal context and continuity in twenty-three students ' thinking builds upon data from a longitudinal study of students ' conceptualizations of ecological processeL:. Each student was interviewed eleven times from age 9-15 about the conditions for life, decomposition, and the role of the flower in plant reproduction. At the ages of 15 and 19, the students listened to what they said at the ages of 11 and 15 respectively and described how they thought their understanding had developed. The occurrence of characteristic individual elements in the students ' conceptions can be followed as themes in the interviews year by year. They may relate to the content or be of a structural nature. The students could, as 15 and 19-year-olds, often reveal concrete personal experiences from an early age that they referred to again and again in the interviews. Even if there was a substantial conceptual development, there was also a very strong element of personal continuity. Conceptions developed at an early age seemed to be important for the future conceptual development. Therefore, an early introduction of some scientific concepts can help students to develop a deeper understanding of ecological processes. (Contains 10 references.) (Author/ASK) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document