SOURCES FROM A SOMERSET VILLAGE - A MODEL FOR INFORMAL LEARNING ABOUTRADIATION AND RADIOACTIVITY

Much of the work on conceptual change in the learning of science has f ocused on the cognitive domain-the factors influencing and underwritin g the knowledge required by learners. Many researchers have used the m odel developed by Strike and Posner who suggest that conceptual change will only take place when the subject matter to be learned is seen by the learner to be intelligible, plausible, and fruitful. Although the se are important ingredients for learning and the later revisions of t he Strike and Posner model recognize the important role of affective a nd social domains, the model, however, remains cognitive in emphasis. We build on Treagust's development of the original Strike and Posner m odel. Through a series of studies set within informal learning context s in the UK we argue that models of conceptual change learning should also encompass issues of affect, conation, and self-esteem. We explain our use of these expressions through a range of examples, which, in t his study, are drawn from four case studies concerning the informal le arning of radiation and radioactivity within the general public. These cases concern members of a rural village in a geographic area in the UK that has high levels of background radiation through naturally occu rring radon gas. The emphasis of this work relates to the extent to wh ich we can use this extended model of conceptual change learning to de scribe these villagers' engagement with the science involved in a haza rd in their daily lives. Our summary comments examine the need for a g reater awareness of the major components of learning in informal scien ce. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.