On what does the meaning of the concept of water depend? I consider three possible answers: the physical world, theory, or both the physical world and theory. Each answer supports a particular history. If the history unique to an answer is confirmed by the actual history of the concept of water, then there is supporting evidence for that account of meaning. I have documented the historical development of the concept of water, focusing on three periods: the ancient Greeks, the 18th and 19th centuries, and the 20th and 21st centuries. Conceptual change figures prominently in that history, and when enough historical data are available communication across theories is obvious. Those features suggest that the meaning of the concept of water depends on the physical world and the theory in which it is embedded. The physical world explains cross theory communication; and theory accounts for the conceptual changes that I have documented. The history of the concept of water suggests that Putnam (1975) is right: meaning depends on the physical world and the theory in which it is embedded. He’s right, however, for the wrong reasons. Putnam relies on a thought experiment to demonstrate that the physical world contributes to meaning, but the history suggests that he built some chemically implausible assumptions into that thought experiment.

On what does the meaning of the concept of water depend? I consider three possible answers: the physical world, theory, or both the physical world and theory. Each answer supports a particular history. If the history unique to an answer is confirmed by the actual history of the concept of water, then there is supporting evidence for that account of meaning. I have documented the historical development of the concept of water, focusing on three periods: the ancient Greeks, the 18th and 19th centuries, and the 20th and 21st centuries. Conceptual change figures prominently in that history, and when enough historical data are available communication across theories is obvious. Those features suggest that the meaning of the concept of water depends on the physical world and the theory in which it is embedded. The physical world explains cross theory communication; and theory accounts for the conceptual changes that I have documented. The history of the concept of water suggests that Putnam (1975) is right: meaning depends on the physical world and the theory in which it is embedded. He’s right, however, for the wrong reasons. Putnam relies on a thought experiment to demonstrate that the physical world contributes to meaning, but the history suggests that he built some chemically implausible assumptions into that thought experiment.

We used functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and a split ratio paradigm used to investigate the role and nature of prior knowledge in conceptual change in science. Sixteen participants, eight physicists and eight non-physicists were presented with two types of videos, Newtonian (two balls of unequal mass falling at the same rate) and Impetus (two balls of unequal mass, the larger one falling faster), to vary their exposure to plausible and implausible information. Whereas no increased neural activation was found in physicists, non-physicists showed recruitment in the frontopolar areas and DLPFC. Studies implicating these regions in integration and working memory support the notion that prior knowledge held by novices is flexible and context-dependent.

We used functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and a split ratio paradigm used to investigate the role and nature of prior knowledge in conceptual change in science. Sixteen participants, eight physicists and eight non-physicists were presented with two types of videos, Newtonian (two balls of unequal mass falling at the same rate) and Impetus (two balls of unequal mass, the larger one falling faster), to vary their exposure to plausible and implausible information. Whereas no increased neural activation was found in physicists, non-physicists showed recruitment in the frontopolar areas and DLPFC. Studies implicating these regions in integration and working memory support the notion that prior knowledge held by novices is flexible and context-dependent.

Conceptual development and conceptual change processes are described by a longitudinal study on preschool children’s conception of the earth. Conceptual change is often described as a causal process in which changes in an embraced system of beliefs result in a new system of beliefs. A normative line of research has been dominating the research field of conceptual change. There has been a search for specific conceptions that are missing in the learners’ reasoning or that prevent conceptual change from occur. Here, the learner’s capacity of reasoning is focused. The children’s reasoning is described in its own right (Driver &amp; Easley, 1978). It is argued that conceptual change is to be understood as an intentional activity with regard to the learner, that is, what the learner is doing when trying to understand something. Children were interviewed annually from four to six years of age. There were 37 children participating, of which 29 were followed during all three years. The children were interviewed about their conceptions of the earth. The results directs the focus of conceptual change from specific conceptions to structural changes. The children processed a lot of conflicting information. However, there does not appear to be any specific conflict that causes the process of conceptual change to occur. Rather, conceptual change is about the reorganization of the sum total of beliefs and to find adequate contexts to which they relate. Conceptual change involves a simultaneous processing of information and complex conception as well as revisions and changes at a model level, and all of this processing is related to contexts for description and explanation. The result also indicates some core stability in reasoning over the course of the investigation. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defence the folowing papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Manuscript; Paper 2: Manuscript.</p>

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Poor academic performance in science is a problem in the world. Numbers of factors contribute to this academic performance. Secondary school learners, particularly those in grade 10 are experiencing problems in understanding simple electric circuits in Physical Sciences. Lack of exposure to practical work might be one of the factors that contribute to lack of understanding of simple electric circuit and inability to link what they learn in class with the outside world. For that reason, it is the purpose of this study to determine what grade 10 learners’ alternative conceptions in electricity are and to explore the impact of conceptual change model on grade 10 learners using simple electric circuits. The study further highlights a number of issues that lead to poor academic achievements in physical sciences. This study further provides the learning strategy in physical science for learners to improve their learning process of simple electric circuits. Four secondary schools from Mankweng cluster, Capricorn District of Limpopo Province were randomly selected to participate in this study. From these schools a sample of 136 learners of different sex were also randomly selected. Two survey instruments, an open-ended questionnaire and the Simple Electric Circuit Conceptual Test were used to collect data. The data was collected over a period of 3 weeks. Learners (in the experimental group) were taught the same electric circuit topics using Conceptual Change Model (CCM) while Regular Teaching Approach (RTP) was used in the control group. Data collected was analysed using descriptive analysis, ANOVA and ANCOVA. The explanations the respondents gave were analysed using nomothetic and ideographic analyses. Misconceptions were identified as one of the learning barriers. The results from the questionnaire also revealed that learners were willing to learn electric circuits’ concepts but they lacked effective learning strategies and techniques to enhance their academic performances. It was also established that learners could not relate what they had learnt on electric circuit with their daily experiences and that practical work was rarely conducted at most schools. The statistical results showed that when teaching simple electric circuits using Conceptual Change Model, there is equal improvement in academic results across all sexes. There was no significant difference between academic achievements of males and females taught using the Conceptual Change Model. / MEd (Natural Sciences Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Poor academic performance in science is a problem in the world. Numbers of factors contribute to this academic performance. Secondary school learners, particularly those in grade 10 are experiencing problems in understanding simple electric circuits in Physical Sciences. Lack of exposure to practical work might be one of the factors that contribute to lack of understanding of simple electric circuit and inability to link what they learn in class with the outside world. For that reason, it is the purpose of this study to determine what grade 10 learners’ alternative conceptions in electricity are and to explore the impact of conceptual change model on grade 10 learners using simple electric circuits. The study further highlights a number of issues that lead to poor academic achievements in physical sciences. This study further provides the learning strategy in physical science for learners to improve their learning process of simple electric circuits. Four secondary schools from Mankweng cluster, Capricorn District of Limpopo Province were randomly selected to participate in this study. From these schools a sample of 136 learners of different sex were also randomly selected. Two survey instruments, an open-ended questionnaire and the Simple Electric Circuit Conceptual Test were used to collect data. The data was collected over a period of 3 weeks. Learners (in the experimental group) were taught the same electric circuit topics using Conceptual Change Model (CCM) while Regular Teaching Approach (RTP) was used in the control group. Data collected was analysed using descriptive analysis, ANOVA and ANCOVA. The explanations the respondents gave were analysed using nomothetic and ideographic analyses. Misconceptions were identified as one of the learning barriers. The results from the questionnaire also revealed that learners were willing to learn electric circuits’ concepts but they lacked effective learning strategies and techniques to enhance their academic performances. It was also established that learners could not relate what they had learnt on electric circuit with their daily experiences and that practical work was rarely conducted at most schools. The statistical results showed that when teaching simple electric circuits using Conceptual Change Model, there is equal improvement in academic results across all sexes. There was no significant difference between academic achievements of males and females taught using the Conceptual Change Model. / MEd (Natural Sciences Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014