Misconceptions
How do I get students to become aware of their misconceptions?
Use these strategies to get students to identify their misconceptions about course content and to consider the opinions of their peers.
In this article:
Drawing for understanding
Instructions
Ask students to illustrate an abstract concept or idea.
Have students compare drawings.
Address any misconceptions that become apparent.
Read more:
Yee, K. (n.d.). Interactive techniques. https://www.usf.edu/atle/documents/handout-interactive-techniques.pdf. Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.
Polling
Read about Polling @ McGill.
Instructions
Using their mobile devices, ask students to open polling software.
Project a question on screen or write it on the board. The question should take into consideration students’ typical misconceptions of a given concept.
Poll the class.
Display the results.
Ask students to address the question in pairs.
Poll the class again.
Display and compare responses.
Example
In a plant science course, “What is the appropriate method for watering a typical orchid?”
Water daily with a watering can.
Put three ice cubes near the roots every week.
Stand the plant in water for a short period of time.
Spritz leaves with a spray bottle regularly.
Pre-and post-quizzes
Instructions
Create a one-page quiz that addresses the primary focus of the class.
Have students take the quiz at the beginning of the session, and then set it aside.
Proceed with class instruction.
Leave adequate time at the end of the session for students to take the same quiz again, and compare their responses to the previous quiz. Students will immediately see what they have learned.
Have students turn in their quizzes, thereby affording you timely feedback on students’ learning.
Ensure that sufficient time is allotted to convey the correct answers at the end of the session and to answer any questions that arise as a result.
Example
In an introductory biology course, students are asked to put the steps for meiosis in order and label the structures both prior to and following the class instruction.
Variations
Student responses to the pre-quiz can be incorporated into review sessions later in the course.
Students can write a one-minute paper following the quiz to summarize what they learned.
Think-pair-share
Instructions
Pose a question (orally, in writing on a board, or projected onto a screen).
Ask students to think about the question on their own (1-2 min.).
Ask students to pair up with someone sitting near them and discuss their responses/thoughts (2-3 min.).
Regroup as a whole class and call for volunteers or randomly choose a few pairs to share their responses.
Examples
In an epidemiology course, students offer potential diagnoses and treatments based on photographs of medical conditions and patient case histories.
In an education course that addresses classroom management, students describe how they would respond to an off-task student’s interruptive behavior. Students come up with a solution individually, then justify it in pairs, and then come to a consensus on an appropriate approach to the scenario.
Variations
Intentionally choose different pairs to give summaries of their ideas each time this activity is carried out.
Have students work together to create a synthesis of ideas or come to a consensus.
After the pairs have discussed their responses, have two pairs discuss together (in groups of four students), in lieu of randomly choosing pairs to report out to the entire class.
Use visual stimuli (e.g., photographs, diagrams) as prompts for discussion.
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