|
The purpose of this study was to explore elementary students’ conceptions and misconceptions of insects. The study results would provide elementary teachers with reference on the curriculum design and instruction of insects.
This study adopted interview and questionnaire research methods. The research instruments included Color-Animal cards and Insert-Conception questionnaires. The subjects were 362 second, fourth, and sixth graders, of those 185 came from Happy Elementary School in Changhua and 177 from Hsinhsin Elementary School in Taipei. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, one-factor ANOVA , Pearson’s product-moment correlation, and Scheffe method. The findings were listed as follows:
1. elementary students have fourteen types of misconceptions on insects: 1) all animals with antennas were mistaken for insects; 2) all leaping animals were mistaken for insects; 3) insects were not animals; 4) all aquatic animals were mistaken for insects; 5) the insects’ pseudopods were mistaken for feet and thus insects were mistaken for something else. 6) all animals with weird behaviors were wrongly believed to be insects; 7) animals of small sizes were mistaken for insects; 8) animals with ‘bug’ in their scientific name were mistaken for insects; 9) all crawling animals were mistaken for insects; 10) all insects were no harm to humans; 11) insects have four feet; 12) animals that eat grass or live in grass were mistaken for insects 13) animals that live in soil were mistaken for insects; 14) the positions of insects’ head, chest, and abdomen were wrongly recognized.
2. The misconceptions of insects came from six sources: 1) the misconception taught by teachers; 2) the misconception taught by relatives and friends; 3) insufficient knowledge in science; 4) informal teaching; 5) the existing concepts of insects; 6) the misconception concluded from common names.
3. In the test on Type I classification, external features, physical examination, animal behavior, animal movement, and animal habitats, the scores of fourth graders significantly prevailed over the second graders; there was no significant difference between the fourth and sixth graders. In the test on type II classification and animal feeding habit, the scores of sixth graders significantly prevailed over the second and fourth graders, and the scores of fourth grader significantly prevailed over the second graders.
4. In the test on Type I classification, type II classification, external features, physical examination, animal behavior, animal habitats, and feeding habits, the scores of male and female students showed no significant difference. In the test on animal motion, the scores of male students significantly prevailed over female students.
5. In the test on type I classification, type II classification, external features, physical examination, animal behavior, animal movement, animal habitats, and feeding habits, the scores of students with higher academic achievements significantly prevailed over students with lower academic achievements.
6. In the test on type I classification, the scores of students from high and middle socio-economic status families significantly prevailed over students from low socio-economic status families. There was no significant difference between the scores of students from high and middle socio-economic status families. In the test on type II classification, the scores of students from high and middle socio-economic status families significantly prevailed over students from low socio-economic status families. There was no significant difference between the scores of students from high and middle socio-economic status families, and middle and low socio-economic status families. In the test on physical examination, animal behavior, animal movement, and animal habitat, there was no significant difference between the scores of students from all socio-economic status families.
7. In the test on type I classification and Type II classification, the scores of students grown up in the urban area prevailed over students grown up in the rural area. In the test of external features, physical examination, animal behavior, animal movement, animal habitat, and animal feeding habit, there were no significant differences between student grown up in the urban area and the rural area.
|