1. Thursday, June 23, 2016
10:30 AM‐12:00 Noon
Instructors' Understanding of Students’ Misconceptions Can Improve Meaningful Learning
Ann Wright, Canisius College
Joel Michael*, Rush Medical College
Harold Modell*, PERC
Jenny McFarland*, Edmonds Community College
Bill Cliff, Niagara University

2. Schedule (approximate) for session
10:30 am-10:40 am
Introductions and definitions
10:40 am-11:05 am
What Misconceptions abut Cell to Cell Communications
Do Your Students Possess?
11:05 am-11:35 am
How Would You Determine If Your Students Have a
Misconception?
11:35 am-11:55 am
How Would Help a Student Correct a Misconception?
11:55 am-Noon
Questions and Wrap-up

3. Misconceptions can be most usefully thought of
INTRODUCTION
MISCONCEPTIONS:
We consider the term “misconception” to refer to all of the
following:
preconceived notions nonscientific beliefs
conceptual misunderstandings naïve misconceptions
factual misconceptions alternative conceptions
Misconceptions can be most usefully thought of
as faulty mental models of the phenomenon under
consideration.

4. MEANINGFUL LEARNING
is learning with understanding.
It is being able to do something with the information
(knowledge) that has been acquired.
Typically this refers to the ability to solve problems (not
just regurgitate or recognize a correct answer).

5. The core concept of CELL-CELL COMMUNICATIONS
transport
receptor

6. The core concept of CELL-CELL COMMUNICATIONS
transport
receptor
This describes both endocrine and neural mechanisms

7. Please answer the following question in your small group.
10:40 am-11:05 am
Please answer the following question in your small group.
1. What are some of your students’ Cell-Cell
Communication misconceptions?
Write your answer (as legibly as possible) on the
provided paper.
Pass out note cards for each small group participant. 3 sets.

8. Some misconceptions we have observed :
Response to a chemical messenger is ALL-OR-NONE
The target cell response is a property of the messenger (and not the target cell)
Target cells have 1, or perhaps a few, receptors
Confusion about differences between sensory receptors and receptors for chemical messengers
Target cell response is the result ONLY a particular messenger (usually the one under discussion)

9. Please answer the following question in your small group.
11:05 am-11:35 am
Please answer the following question in your small group.
2. How would you determine if your students have a
misconception?
Write your answer (as legibly as possible) on the
provided paper.
Pass out note cards for each small group participant. 3 sets.

10. How do you determine if your students have a misconception?
ASK THE STUDENTS!
That is, get the students to reveal their thinking as they solve a problem.

11. Please answer the following question in your small group.
11:35 am-11:55 am
Please answer the following question in your small group.
3. What would you do to help a student correct a
misconception (repair their mental model)?
Write your answer (as legibly as possible) on the
provided paper.
Pass out note cards for each small group participant. 3 sets.

12. How to help a student repair a misconception?

13. How to help a student repair a misconception?
THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN REPAIR A FAULTY MENTAL MODEL (MISCONCEPTION) IS THE LEARNER!

14. How to help a student repair a misconception?
THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN REPAIR A FAULTY MENTAL MODEL (MISCONCEPTION) IS THE LEARNER!
You need to provide students with opportunities to apply their model to solving a problem in an environment that provides them with feedback. In this way you are helping them to build-test-repair their mental models.

15. How to help a student repair a misconception?
THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN REPAIR A FAULTY MENTAL MODEL (MISCONCEPTION) IS THE LEARNER!
You need to provide students with opportunities to apply their model to solving a problem in an environment that provides them with feedback. In this way you are helping them to build-test-repair their mental models.
GIVING THE STUDENT THE “RIGHT ANSWER” OR THE “RIGHT MODEL” DOES NOT HELP.