Vosniadou et al. (2006) proposed the Framework Theory of Conceptual Change to characterize and monitor cognitive development associated with conceptual knowledge growth. Specifically, they suggested that students enter school with naïve, experiential, and culturally informed understandings of key concepts described as naïve theories. As students are exposed to scientific understandings within formal educational environments, they integrate that scientific knowledge with their naïve theories to form “synthetic” models of understanding. Synthetic models can facilitate or constrain knowledge growth based on the extent to which integration results in accurate conceptions or misconceptions. As teachers’ understandings of student mental model growth increases, they can provide more meaningful explanations at crucial points in students’ knowledge growth, strengthening and deepening synthetic conceptual models leading to more scientific understandings of cognitive concepts. The purpose of this research was to identify fitness-related synthetic models held by middle school physical education students.
Method:
An NIH award has funded the design and evaluation of the Science of Healthful Living curriculum in a randomized clinical trial to examine students’ science knowledge growth in 24 middle schools in 6 Triad school districts in North Carolina. A subset of students (n=67) in four middle schools were interviewed twice each. Two schools utilized the experimental SHL curriculum (n= 32 students), while two control group schools (n=35 students) did not. The semi-structured interviews focused on identifying students’ understandings of fitness and physiological concepts, such as overload, caloric expenditure, and aerobic/anaerobic exercise.
Analysis/Results:
Interviews were analyzed qualitatively using constant comparison to identify patterns, structures, and relationships characterizing mental model development of fitness concepts. Vosniadou et al.’s (2006) Framework Theory of Conceptual Change informed axial and selective theme development. Hypothesized structures and relational linkages within and among mental models were investigated to identify synthetic models of fitness concepts.
Conclusions:
Certain patterns of naïve conceptions and synthetic models related to fitness were evident. Students appeared to create synthetic models by synthesizing naïve and scientific fitness information. For example, consistently told of the necessity of drinking water and consuming vitamins, students often misidentified both as sources of energy. Presented with the information that exercise will reduce excess body fat and build muscle, students reported that fat can become muscle and exercising a particular body part will result in spot reduction. Identifying and understanding these synthetic models can allow physical educators to redesign their curriculum to directly confront misconceptions, resulting in improved student comprehension and enhanced well-being.