Abstract
This study is an investigation of relationships among students’ free exploration of interactive science museum exhibits, conceptual understandings, and cognitive developmental levels. Forty-five subjects, ages 5 to 13, were classified as preoperational, concrete operational (empirical-inductive), or formal operational (hypothetical-deductive). Subjects interacted with science exhibits requiring empirical-deductive (EI) or hypothetical-deductive (HD) reasoning to understand the inherent science concepts. Ninety-five percent of the subjects demonstrated complete or partial understanding of the exhibits’ concepts that necessitated EI, or concrete reasoning. In contrast, 94% of the subjects that interacted with exhibits requiring HD, or formal, reasoning demonstrated misconceptions or no understanding of the associated concepts. Students within each developmental level demonstrated significantly greater understanding of the concepts from exhibits requiring EI reasoning than from exhibits requiring HD reasoning.
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Marek, E.A., Boram, R.D., Laubach, T. et al. Conceptual understandings resulting from interactive science exhibits. J Elem Sci Edu 14, 39–51 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173847
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173847