Conceptual Development: Re-examining Knowledge Construction in Science.

A study involving upper elementary school students (n=30) was conducted to examine conceptual change and constructivism. It is argued that a constructivist view of learning is antithetical to a vision of conceptual change in which teachers act in a diagnostic and remediate manner to help students rid themselves of their inaccurate ideas. It further asserts that this vision, which has been premised on the results of studies which depict students' ideas as highly resistant to change and interfering with the construction of accepted scientific knowledge, stems from methodologically flawed work from a constructivist perspective. This study presents the methodology and findings used to refute the notion that students' ideas are highly resistant to change. Also discussed are the implications of the results with respect to: (1) characterizing knowledge construction; and (2) conducting research on student learning within a constructivist framework. (ZWH)