CONCEPTUAL CHANGE AND ANOMALOUS DATA - A CASE-STUDY IN THE DOMAIN OF NATURAL-SCIENCES

Cognitive conflict has been proposed as a strategy to promote conceptu al change. The history and philosophy of science have shown the import ance of anomalous data to change scientific theories and to the progre ss of science. Often, scientists use anomalous data to develop new int erpretations that lend to new conceptualizations and finally, to a dee p conceptual change. To be aware of contradiction seems to be a first step in the process of conceptual change. A study to explore novice st udents responses to anomalous data has been carried out. Sixty nine ni nth graders, fifty seven eleventh graders and sixty three twelfth grad ers participated in the study. A paper and pencil task about the origi n of life on the Earth was designed. Subjects were divided into two co nditions. In condition ''A'' only anomalous data were presented to the subjects. In condition ''A+B'', both anomalous and confirmatory data were presented. Results indicated that younger students were less awar e of contradiction than older students when both anomalous and confirm atory data were presented. However, no differences have been found amo ng them when just anomalous data were presented (condition A). Twelfth graders were aware of contradiction in both conditions. Some students ' epistemological beliefs influenced their response to anomalous data. Although no conceptual change (weak or strong restructuring) was achi eved as it could be predicted by the low domain-specific knowledge of the subjects and the complexity of the topic, presenting anomalous dat a facilitated the achievement of the first steps of the conceptual cha nge process.