From conceptual development to science education: a psychological point ofview

A theoretical framework based on cognitive/developmental research is descri bed. It is argued that science learning is a gradual process during which i nitial conceptual structures based on children's interpretations of everyda y experience are continuously enriched and restructured. Conceptual change also involves increased metaconceptual awareness, cognitive flexibility, an d theoretical coherence. Some of the implications of this research for the development of science curricula and for instruction are discussed, ft is a lso argued that while cognitive/developmental research can provide us with important information about the process of learning science, it does not pr ovide much information about the external, environmental variables that can facilitate cognitive performance and conceptual change. What is needed in the future is the development of a theory of learning that bridges science education and cognitive/developmental research. Such a theory should specif y the mechanisms that can take an individual from one level of cognitive pe rformance to the next and relate them to situational and cultural factors.