The aim of this study was to quantitatively measure refutation text's power for conceptual change while qualitatively discovering students' preference of refutation or expository text structures. This study also sought to examine if religious interest levels predict conceptual change. Participants for this study were 9th, 10th-, 11th-, and 12th-grade seminary students from the private religious educational system of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The study was conducted in two sessions. Session 1 involved pretesting, interventions, and posttesting. Session 2 involved delayed posttesting and participant interviews. Results were predominately measured quantitatively with some qualitative interview analysis added to enrich the study. This research study provides insight into the refutation text effects in LDS religious education. Results of the study showed significant differences in conceptual change between participants reading refutation texts and those reading expository texts. In every case, the refutation text group performed higher on posttests than did the expository group. Results also showed participant preference toward refutation text structures. Furthermore, the study found significant correlations that verify topic interest as a possible predictor of conceptual change. Insights are valuable in aiding curriculum developers in implementing effective ways to teach doctrinal principles by utilizing refutation text interventions. The advantages of this research study add to educational research and identify areas for improvement and exploration in further research. This study of refutation text effects in religious education also broadens researchers' understanding of refutation text's power for conceptual change in subjects outside of K-12 science. Results of this study are of interest to researchers, teachers, curriculum writers, and LDS seminary teachers and administrators.

The aim of this study was to quantitatively measure refutation text's power for conceptual change while qualitatively discovering students' preference of refutation or expository text structures. This study also sought to examine if religious interest levels predict conceptual change. Participants for this study were 9th, 10th-, 11th-, and 12th-grade seminary students from the private religious educational system of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The study was conducted in two sessions. Session 1 involved pretesting, interventions, and posttesting. Session 2 involved delayed posttesting and participant interviews. Results were predominately measured quantitatively with some qualitative interview analysis added to enrich the study. This research study provides insight into the refutation text effects in LDS religious education. Results of the study showed significant differences in conceptual change between participants reading refutation texts and those reading expository texts. In every case, the refutation text group performed higher on posttests than did the expository group. Results also showed participant preference toward refutation text structures. Furthermore, the study found significant correlations that verify topic interest as a possible predictor of conceptual change. Insights are valuable in aiding curriculum developers in implementing effective ways to teach doctrinal principles by utilizing refutation text interventions. The advantages of this research study add to educational research and identify areas for improvement and exploration in further research. This study of refutation text effects in religious education also broadens researchers' understanding of refutation text's power for conceptual change in subjects outside of K-12 science. Results of this study are of interest to researchers, teachers, curriculum writers, and LDS seminary teachers and administrators.

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De nos jours, différentes ressources littéraires de vulgarisation scientifique (VS), notamment la littérature jeunesse, sont utilisées pour aborder des contenus scientifiques en classe de primaire. Sans tenter de se substituer aux manuels scolaires, ces outils d’éducation non formels proposent différents textes narratifs et informatifs qui présentent des concepts scientifiques. En plus de développer la curiosité scientifique, la littérature jeunesse propose souvent des textes scientifiques d’une grande qualité. Néanmoins, son utilisation n’est pas exempte de difficultés. Notamment, ce type de littérature présente parfois des concepts erronés entraînant le développement de fausses conceptions. Afin d’accompagner les vulgarisateurs scientifiques dans l’élaboration de ressources de VS adaptées aux conceptions alternatives des jeunes lecteurs, et ultimement les amener à remettre en question leurs idées préconçues, nous avons identifié un dispositif didactique conçu essentiellement pour le travail en classe : le texte de réfutation. Pour tenter d’amener un changement conceptuel chez les élèves, ce texte énonce d’abord une conception alternative, puis la réfute, pour ensuite présenter l’explication scientifique du phénomène décrit. Pour donner suite à l’analyse de trois textes de réfutation, nous avons été à même d’identifier certains concepts qui sont au cœur de ce dispositif didactique, notamment la carte conceptuelle, les niveaux de formulation et la transposition didactique. Inspiré par ces concepts, nous avons élaboré un modèle didactique de VS ayant pour but d’accompagner pas à pas un vulgarisateur scientifique dans la conception de ressources adaptées au public de jeunes lecteurs. Le modèle Design Experiment nous a permis de mettre à l’essai et de bonifier cette version provisoire du modèle didactique de VS, grâce à la participation de deux vulgarisateurs scientifiques qui ont chacun élaboré deux textes de vulgarisation scientifique : l’un, des textes narratifs et l’autre, des textes informatifs, pour une cohorte de 83 élèves de cinquième année du primaire. Les sujets abordés dans ces textes sont le requin blanc, le béluga, et les muscles et l’entraînement. Pour que nous puissions étudier l’évolution des conceptions des élèves, chacun d’eux a répondu à un prétest et un posttest, et certains élèves ont également été sollicités pour participer à des entrevues de groupe avec les vulgarisateurs. Cette recherche a permis de réunir la didactique et la VS. Les vulgarisateurs ont pu mesurer la pertinence de prendre en compte les conceptions alternatives des jeunes lecteurs, tirer profit du texte de réfutation et adapter le niveau de formulation de leurs textes. / Nowadays, different literary resources of popular science, including children's literature, are used to address the scientific content in elementary classrooms. Without trying to replace textbooks, these non-formal educational tools offer different narrative and informative texts that present demonstrations of science. In addition to developing scientific curiosity, children's trade books propose scientific texts of high quality. However, these texts would not be without some level of weakness. In particular, they sometimes present erroneous concepts leading to misconceptions. To support the science writers in the popular science resource development suited to alternative conceptions of young learners, and ultimately to get them to change these conceptions, we identified a didactic text designed primarily for classroom work called refutation text. To promote conceptual change, the text first sets out an alternative design, refutes the alternative conception, and then presents scientific explanation. After the analysis of three refutation texts, we were able to identify some didactic concepts at the heart of this text pattern; the concept map, the learner’s knowledge level, and didactic transposition. Inspired by these concepts, we have developed a didactic model of popular science to accompany a science writer, step by step, in the design of appropriate resources for young readers. The Design Experiment model has allowed us to test and improve this experimental model of popular science through the participation of two science writers who each developed two popular science texts. One writer composed two narrative texts, another wrote two informative texts for a group of 83 students in fifth grade. Topics covered in these texts were white sharks, beluga whales, and muscles and training. To study the evolution of student conception, each answered pre-test and post-test questions and some students were also asked to participate in group interviews with the science writers. This research brought together didactics and popular science. Science writers were able to measure the relevance of taking into account the views of young readers’ conceptions, the use of refutation text, and the adaptation of the texts to learner’s knowledge level.