Primary school children's ideas about the processes of life

Abstract

Previous studies (Gellert, 1962; Osborne et al., 1992) have shown that primary school children hold misconceptions about the Processes of Life. This research investigated whether Maltese primary school children possess similar alternative frameworks in this topic. A set of seven questions, similar to those used in the Science Processes And Concepts Exploration (SPACE) Project, were used to probe children's ideas, in a structured interview, about the components of the body and the processes taking place within the body. (Osborne et al., 1992). Biological knowledge appeared to develop across the ages though restricted by children's cognitive abilities. Some of the alternative frameworks identified included: the heart drawn in a valentine shape, food eaten thought to distribute itself throughout the body, and blood believed to move with body movements. Trends similar to those reported in other researches were identified; young children were only aware of few parts of the body, mainly those they can sense or feel. Unknown parts were represented in a circular shape. Personal experiences and media influenced children's responses. No significant gender differences were observed across the ages. Children from urban settings tended to be more informed about their body. This study recommends teaching strategies, helping the teacher identify children's alternative ideas and how to use them as a starting point when planning lessons, thus ensuring meaningful learning.