ERIC Number: EJ1466632
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0256-2928
EISSN: EISSN-1878-5174
Available Date: 2025-04-08
A Systematic Review of Factors That Predict and Mediate Conceptual Change
Olanrewaju P. Olaogun2; Nathaniel J. Hunsu1
European Journal of Psychology of Education, v40 n2 Article 58 2025
Students have misconceptions about many scientific topics they encounter in the classroom--such misconceptions are especially rife in subjects with counterintuitive concepts. Several studies have copiously documented students' misconceptions in different science domains. Research shows that students' misconceptions can be resistant to change and that instructional efforts that facilitate conceptual change learning must intentionally target and refute students' misconceptions. Several studies have highlighted different factors that foster or inhibit conceptual change learning. This systematic review of conceptual change studies synthesizes the literature to identify factors that predict and mediate conceptual change learning. The systematic review is based on the analysis of 14 studies that satisfied the criteria for inclusion in this review. The findings from this review show that mastery goals, situational interest, and enjoyment were significant predictors of conceptual change. Additionally, deep cognitive engagement, deep processing strategies, and attention allocation were significant mediators of conceptual change. The implications of these observations for theory and instructional practices for instructions that foster conceptual change learning are discussed. This systematic review is important because it can serve as the basis for conducting further empirical studies in engineering to help engineering students gain conceptual understanding and abandon their misconceived ideas and notions.
Descriptors: College Students, College Faculty, Engineering Education, Misconceptions, Concept Formation, Learning Processes, Scientific Concepts, Resistance to Change, Mastery Learning, Student Interests, Learner Engagement, Predictor Variables, Time on Task, Student Motivation, Teaching Methods, Instructional Development, Instructional Effectiveness
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University of Georgia, College of Engineering, Athens, USA; 2Merrimack College, School of Engineering and Computational Sciences, North Andover, United States