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Fostering conceptual transformation on plant nutrition – the progression of concepts and notions in a digital collaborative learning environment

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Abstract

Addressing student conceptions is widely acknowledged as pivotal in student-centered teaching. However, the translation of this awareness into classroom practices remains insufficiently explored. Initial educational approaches, such as conceptual change theory, have evolved to integrate a spectrum of affective and motivational factors, yet the interconnection between these aspects remains inadequately understood. This qualitative study seeks to illuminate the process of conceptual reconstruction. In this investigation, students were tasked with collaborating on a project concerning plant nutrition, with the intent of developing a jointly supported solution. The Peer-Interaction-Method (PIM) was employed to observe changes in conceptions, demanding that students with heterogeneity in conceptions team up, thereby instigating content-related conflicts. Participant expressions were scrutinized through the lens of conceptual metaphor theory—a cognitive linguistic framework for comprehension. Surprisingly, the findings diverged from the anticipated outcomes. Notably, content-related conflicts were not imperative to achieve a consensus. Instead, the study revealed that social conflicts significantly shaped the collaborative process. Moreover, the peer interaction method emerged as a productive means of managing heterogeneity in conceptions, showcasing its potential for constructive engagement. To facilitate the implementation of this method in educational settings, a digital plug-in for Moodle e-learning platforms was developed. This tool not only accommodates the execution of the peer interaction method within conventional class timeframes but also fosters collaborations between educational institutions and research entities.
Fostering conceptual transformation on plant
nutrition – the progression of concepts and notions
in a digital collaborative learning environment
Malte Michelsen, email: michelsen@idn.uni-hannover.de
Jorge Groß, email: gross@idn.uni-hannover.de
Who we are
2
Prof. Dr. Jorge Groß
University of Hanover
Biology Education
Mr. Malte Michelsen
University of Hanover
Phd Student
The value of cognitive linguistics
3
Initial situation:
Scientic conceptions are mostly abstract and
contradict the everyday conceptions that students
bring with them in biology lessons
Research questions:
What kind of conceptual changes take place through
collaboration on the topic of plant nutrition?
What are the causes of these changes and possible
implications for learning environments in biology lessons?
Model of Educational Reconstruction(MER by Duit et al., 2012)
4
Duit et al., 2012
Scientic Clarication Identication of
Students’ Conceptions
Design and evaluation of learning
environments
Identication and analysis of
elementary science content from the
viewpoint of education
Comprehension of students’
conceptions, affective variables and
learning processes
Identication and comprehension
of teaching and learning issues
in real classrooms
What is a conceptual metaphor?
5
Container-
Schema
inside
border
outside
„Inside“ and „outside“ can be understood directly
But „inside“ and „outside“ can also be understood
imaginatively.
Experience with a room:
„I am in a room and go out through the
door.“
Experiences with love:
„I am in love. If you leave me, I freak out.“
Lako, G.; Johnson, M. Metaphors We Live By; 
University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL, USA, 1980.
Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT by Lakoff & Johnson, 1980 - Metaphors We Live By)
6
interaction with
environment…
… results in embodied
conceptions.
Abstract thinking is based
on embodied conceptions
and metaphorization.
Lako, G.; Johnson, M. Metaphors We Live By; 
University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL, USA, 1980.
environment
cognitive system
body
metaphorical
transfer
interaction by sensory and motor systems
abstractconceptions
embodiedconceptions
social experiences
physical experiences
schema/
metaphor
target domain
source domain
What are „Conceptions“?(Lakoff & Johnson, 1980 - Metaphors We Live By)
7
Michelsen et al., 2022
are dened by Terms and their
relation to each other
complex interconnection of concepts
guiding the understanding of a
phenomenon
most complex conceptions; combination of
notions; they have an epistemological,
analytical and prognostic function
are words connected in a meaningful way.
Unlike words, they are associated with
experience
EXAMPLE OF PLANT NUTRITION
TERMS:
THEORIES:
NOTIONS:
4
3
2CONCEPTS:
1
PLANT NUTRITION
BY PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PLANTS
CARBOHYDRATES
A PL AN T C O NS IS T S O F C AR B O-
HYDRATES, FATS AND PROTEINS
A P L AN T GR O WS B Y PR O DU CI N G
CARBOHYDRATES
A P L AN T GR OW S BY TA KI NG U P
AND RELEASING SUBSTANCES
A P L AN T GR O WS B Y
PRODUCING SUSBTANCES
DESCRIPTION
LEVEL OF
COMPLEXITY
Generalization at
a medium level
of complexity
Analyzing Learning Progressions
8
Video-taped
teaching experiments
(Steffe & D‘Ambrosio 1996)
Scientically adequate [rel]
Scientically incorrect [rel]
Subject related Learning pathways
(Fischer, Wandersee, Moody, 2002;
Zabel & Gropengießer, 2011) Individual
Retrospective Interviews
(Paul, Lederman, Groß, 2016)
Malte Michelsen & Jorge Groß
Peer-Interaction Method (Heeg et al. 2020)
Digital Peer-Interaction
Malte Michelsen & Jorge Groß
Drawing tasks
(Gunstone & White, 1992)
Qualitative Content Analysis
(Mayring, 2000)
Think Phase: diagnosing conceptions
Malte Michelsen & Jorge Groß
Pair Phase: negotiation
Malte Michelsen & Jorge Groß
Share Phase: retrospective reflection
Malte Michelsen & Jorge Groß
3. Watch as the conflict unfolds.
A
B
7
6
3
8
4
10
A
B
A
1
8
8
B
1
11
8
55
What happened?
≈ 50% of cases: just “mhm
barely subject specific reasoning
during negotiating
Malte Michelsen & Jorge Groß
Why did this happen?
“I would try to reduce my own proportion of speech so that it [the
conversation] is balanced. I hope I haven't ruined things for my
partner.”
“Bringing the formula [of photosynthesis] up felt awkward. She just
didn't have the idea, and I didn't want to be so insistent.”
“We found a compromise in that we both contributed our ideas a
bit.”
“We clicked right away. It was a give and take.”
1. informational goals and relational goals were pursued
2. differences in competence endangered harmony
3. differences in competence were mitigated
4. mitigation can include transformation of conceptions
without content related reasoning
Malte Michelsen & Jorge Groß
Conclusion
Implications for our case:
questions: gross@idn.uni-hannover.de
michelsen@idn.uni-hannover.de
1. informational goals and relational goals were pursued
2. differences in competence endangered harmony
3. differences in competence were mitigated
4. mitigation can include transformation of conceptions
without content related reasoning
àlearning barriers: communication problem > content problem
àreflexion vital for scientific reasoning
Thanks for your attention!
Peer-Interaction collaborative learning to foster and
observe conceptional transformation in science education
coming soon…
Malte Michelsen & Jorge Groß
Kattmann, U., Duit, R., GROPENGIEßER, H., & Komorek, M. (1996, April). Educational reconstructionbringing together issues of scientific clarification and studentsconceptions. In
Annual meeting of the national association of research in science teaching (NARST), St. Louis (pp. 1-20).
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1981). Metaphors we live by. University of Chicago Press.
Messig D, Groß J. Understanding Plant NutritionThe Genesis of Students’ Conceptions and the Implications for Teaching Photosynthesis. Education Sciences. 2018; 8(3):132.
https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8030132
White, R. T., & Gunstone, R. F. (1992). Probing understanding. Lon don: The Falmer Press.
Mayring, Philipp. (2000). Qualitative Content Analysis. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], http://qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs-
e/2-00inhalt-e.htm. 1.
Heeg, J., Hundertmark, S., & Schanze, S. (2020). The interplay between individual reflection and collaborative learning-seven essential features for designing fruitful classroom practices
that develop students’ individual conceptions. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 21(3), 765788. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9rp00175a
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