Sm. Ritchie et al., TEACHING REFERENTS AND THE WARRANTS USED TO TEST THE VIABILITY OF STUDENTS MENTAL MODELS - IS THERE A LINK, Journal of research in science teaching, 34(3), 1997, pp. 223-238
From a constructivist perspective, learners construct viable knowledge
rather than acquire representations of truth. The warrants of authori
ty, coherence, and empirical evidence are identified as means by which
the viability of knowledge claims can be established by learners. In
this interpretive study, we examined which warrants were invoked by Gr
ade 8 science classroom participants in their daily interactions, and
whether these were linked to particular teaching referents. We found t
hat when the teacher embraced a content exposure referent at the expen
se of constructivism, the warrant of authority dominated interactions.
The students' alternative conceptions and mental models were not expl
ored appropriately. Instead, students most frequently were expected to
accept the voice of authority uncritically. By such actions students
were restrained from meaningful learning.