“All Heavy Objects Sink.”

Why Teacher Conceptions Are Important – A Teaching Unit on the Subject of “Floating and Sinking"

Abstract

The constructivist understanding of teaching and learning in primary science and social education goes hand in hand with a conception of children’s learning according to the conceptual change approach. The Model of Didactic Reconstruction unites both ways of thinking in a triplet of technical clarification, learner perspective and didactic structuring of a teaching offer, which makes it possible for learners to change or develop their preconceptions. But (prospective) teachers also have conceptions on a topic that, like the ideas of pupils, are firmly anchored and can therefore be difficult to be recognized and changed. In the course of a seminar for primary school teacher students presented here, this is illustrated exemplarily using the topic “floating and sinking”. Typical conceptions of the students are presented and it is shown how the Model of Didactic Reconstruction can support the students in planning lessons on the complex subject of “floating and sinking” in accordance with the learner’s preconceptions. In addition, the teaching unit focuses on their own preconceptions and emphasizes their importance for the clarification of the subject.