A Cross-age Study on Elementary Students이 Understanding of the Concept of Respiration

초등학생의 호흡 개념 이해에 대한 연구

Students' concepts of scientific phenomena have become a point of focus in science education research. This study investigated into developmental process and mechanism of the students' respiration concept through a cross-age study. This study utilized the 1st, 3rd, 6th grade elementary students to find out changes in student's understanding of the concept of respiration. The 1st and 3rd grade level students were interviewed what the respiration mean and whether each of living things respires, etc. The 6th grade students were interviewed and tested. Respiration is a word that students come across often in everyday life. It was found that they were more likely to associate respiration with its more common concept of breathing or gas exchange as opposed to its more scientific definition as the process in which nutrients are oxidized to provide energy. This trend didn't improve as they advanced grade. This is an indication that the knowledge system of student is split into a generic knowledge system and scientific knowledge system. Understanding of concept increased and differentiated across grade levels but that understanding was limited. They overcome their tendency to base their understanding of respiration on their understanding of human phenomena and learn to integrate their understanding of biological phenomena through a one organ - one role type of logic. They also intuitively explain everything based on their own experience.