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Uncovering Student Conceptions of Geophysics: A Summary of Earthquake Understandings

Explore students' ideas on earthquakes and geophysics informed by 30 years of research. Learn about challenges to conceptual understanding and strategies for addressing misconceptions. Discover effective alternative approaches in geophysics instruction.

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Uncovering Student Conceptions of Geophysics: A Summary of Earthquake Understandings

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  1. What do our students really know about geophysics? Engage

  2. What are earthquakes? & What causes them? A summary of student conceptions of earthquakes and other underpinning topics as informed by 30 years of research Michael Hubenthal, Senior Education Specialist July, 2011 v2.0

  3. What are some of your students’ ideas about Eqs? Explore

  4. Student Understandings • Children develop their own non-scientific explanations of events, prior to instruction (e.g. Ault, 1982, 1984, 1994) • Can express scientifically accurate statements while also holding misconceptions ( e.g. Cohen & Kagan, 1979) • Can recite correct definitions with no understanding (e.g. Haz et al, 1987) • Understanding; description and explanation (Newton, 2000) Explain

  5. Challenges to conceptual understanding in the geosciences (Piaget, 1929) (Ault, 1984) Explain ( Blake, 2005)

  6. What is an EQ? - Young students (Ross and Shuell, 1991; Sharpe et al., 1995) (Tsai, 2001) Explain (Leather, 1987; Sharpe et al., 1995)

  7. What is an EQ? >age 14 Explain (Barrow & Haskings, 1996; DeLaughter et al., 1998; Libarkin et al., 2005)

  8. Location of EQs Explain Leather, 1987; Shapre et al., 1995; Philips, 1991; Schoon, 1992

  9. Tectonic Plates Explain Nottis, 1995; Marques & Thompson, 1997; Libarkin et al, 2005

  10. Sharpe et al., 1995 DeLaughter et al., 1998; Libarkin et al., 2005 Lillo, 1994 Explain

  11. Why is sizing this up important? Elaborate

  12. Making waves into your classroom Elaborate

  13. ?

  14. Alternative or shallow conceptions exists despite instruction (e.g. Marques & Thompson, 1997) • Across a huge span of ages middle school through undergraduates (e.g. Barrow and Haskings, 1996 & Libarkin et al, 2005)

  15. Strategies for addressing alternative conceptions do exist. • drawings provide excellent opportunities for students to express their conceptual understanding, subsequent classroom discussion, one-on-one conversation, in-class questions • Evidence that alternative approaches to traditional geophysics instruction can be effective (Steer et al, 2005)

  16. The good news We have some evidence that alternative instruction can overcome these misconceptions Steer et al, 2005 – Relative thicknesses of Earth’s chemical boundaries.

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