Premium
Science, stories, and sense‐making: A comparison of qualitative data from a wetlands unit
Author(s) -
Hulland Carol,
Munby Hugh
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
science education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.209
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1098-237X
pISSN - 0036-8326
DOI - 10.1002/sce.3730780202
Subject(s) - heuristics , unit (ring theory) , conceptual change , ecology , conceptual framework , nesting (process) , qualitative property , computer science , sociology , psychology , epistemology , mathematics education , social science , engineering , philosophy , biology , mechanical engineering , machine learning , operating system
Posner's theory of conceptual change forms the background for this study which focuses upon conceptual ecology, specifically upon the heuristics children appear to employ in sense‐making. The study reports data from a 2‐week wetland unit conducted during a summer camp program. The data consist of tape recordings and drawings made by the children. The analysis focuses upon two children who demonstrate remarkably different sense‐making heuristics: a recognizably scientific one and one that involves the generation of metaphors and personalized stories. The study argues the importance of attending to the heuristics of sense‐making in studies of conceptual ecology and conceptual change. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.