EDUCATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION OF PLATE TECTONICS

The model of educational reconstruction (Duit, Gropengiesser, & Kattmann 2005) was used to develop didactical guidelines for teaching plate tectonics in geography class. In the presented research project the theoretical framework is based on theory of experientialism (Lakoff & Johnson 1980). Students` conceptions of plate tectonics have been investigated by using qualitative interviews (WITZEL & Reiter 2012). I analyzed these interviews with a combination of qualitative content analysis (KRÜGER & RIEMEIER 2014), systematic metaphor analysis (SCHMITT 2005; NIEBERT 2010) and systematic analysis of gesture (HERRERA & RIGGS 2013). By this means I could identify students` central conceptions as well as the source domains used by students to construct these conceptions. For scientific clarification three textbooks have been analyzed with a combination of qualitative content analysis and systematic metaphor analysis. The comparison of scientific and learners’ perspectives lead to the development of educational guidelines. In the lecture key results of the interviews will be presented as well as the methodology of analyzing students` speech and gestures. Additional educational guidelines for teaching plate tectonics effectively will be presented.

References

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HERRERA, J. & RIGGS, E. (2013). Relating Gestures and Speech: An analysis of students` conceptions about geological sedimentary processes. In: International Journal of Science

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KRÜGER, D. & RIEMEIER, T. (2014). Die qualitative Inhaltsanalyse – eine Methode zur Auswertung von Interviews. In: KRÜGER, D., PARCHMANN, I. & SCHECKER, H. (Ed.), Methoden in der naturwissenschaftsdidaktischen Forschung. Berlin, Heidelberg, 133 - 146.

LAKOFF, G., JOHNSON, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago.

SCHMITT, R. (2005). Systematic Metaphor Analysis as a Method of Qualitative Research. In: The Qualitative Report 10 (2), 358 - 394. Internet: http://www.nova.edu/aaaa/QR10-2/schmitt.pdf(14.07.2014)

WITZEL, A. & Reiter, H. (2012). The problem-centred interview. London.