Pupils age 1013 conceptions of hearing

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Pupils (age 10-13) conceptions of hearing
Göteborg University

• Eva West, Björn Andersson Florentina Lustig
• Department of Education, Göteborg university,
  Sweden
• e-mail Eva.West_at_ped.gu.se

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Introduction
Göteborg University

• High sound levels are getting more frequent in
  young peoples lives (The National Swedish Board
  of Health and Welfare, 2003 Berglund, Lindvall,
  Schwela Goh, 2000)

2. The younger child the more sensitive to loud
sounds
3. Tinnitus - an increasing problem (Kähäri,
2002 Olsen Widen Erlandsson, 2004 The
National Swedish Board of Health and Welfare,
2005)
4. Precaution Need for teaching and learning at
early ages (The National Swedish Board of
Health and Welfare, 2003)
5. Uncritical attitudes versus loud sounds
(Kärrqvist West, 2005).
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Aims
Göteborg University

• Overall aims of the whole project
• To design and validate a teaching-learning
  sequence that might improve pupils understanding
  of
• Sound
• Hearing
• Health

• Specific aim
• To find out what are pupils, aged 10-13,
• conceptions of hearing.

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Methodology of the whole project
Göteborg University

• Design and validation of teaching-learning
  sequences (Andersson Bach, 2005 Andersson
  Wallin, 2005)
• Didactic analysis of the content of the teaching
• Research findings about pupils conceptions of
  sound and hearing (Watt Russel,1990)
• Design of a teaching-learning sequence that is
  tested on a small scale.
• Gradual revision of the teaching-learning
  sequence
• Teaching in ordinary classes

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Methodology in this study
Göteborg University

• Selection of 92 pupils
• 47 pupils (age 10 11)
• 45 pupils (age 12 13)
• Pre-test with an open-ended question
• (drawing in a figure explanation in writing)
• Interviews - 26 pupils
• Analysis of the answers

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Test question used in this study
Göteborg University

• How do we hear?
•  
• 1. What happens to a sound that has reached the
  ear? Draw what you think right now. 
• 2. Write a short text to the picture that can
  explain how you were thinking when you were
  drawing.

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Analysis of pupils answers
Göteborg University
Identification of important components in the
answers (A-E) Inclusion of structure of the
ear A. Signs of anatomical structures B. Signs
of sound transformation in the ear

• Inclusion of the brain in hearing
• C. Brains involvement in the hearing
  process
• D. Signs of perception in the brain
• E. Lack of/unrelevant answers

Categorisation
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Results components in the pupils drawings and
explanations
Göteborg University
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Summary of components
Göteborg University

• Approxim. 65 involve the brain, in both groups
• 25 include parts of the ear older better than
  younger pupils
• Three pupils have ideas about the transformation
  of sound inside the ear
• Signs of perception in the brain - 3 answers

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Results Categories of components in the pupils
drawings and explanations
Göteborg University
A ear structure C brain B
transformation inside the ear D perception

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Example C only
Göteborg University
(43)
The sounds come into the brain.
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ExampleA C
Göteborg University
(15 )
The sound is coming through the ear and then to
the eardrum that regulates the sound and then it
goes further on to the brain
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Summary of categories

• Approxim. 50 of the pupils involve only one
  component, mostly the brain in their answers
• (only C)
• more younger than older
• not yet any understanding of the inner parts of
  the ear for hearing

The older pupils are more often aware of the link
ear-brain than the younger ones (AC)
Hearing ends up in the ear, 10 (A AB) Three
pupils show more complete understanding of hearing
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Example A B C D
Göteborg University

• The sounds/vibrations go into the ear and then
  to the small bones and then the vibrations go
  through the cochlea which sends a signal to the
  brain and then the brain finds out what the other
  person says.

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Results from interviews
Göteborg University

• Approx. 80 of the pupils (20) showed the same
  components as in the pre-test
• Approx. 20 (6) improved their results
• 3 pupils no answer ? brain or brain ear
  structure
• 1 pupil brain ? ear structure
• 1 pupil ear structure ? brain
• 1 pupil brain perception ? ear structure

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Conclusions from interviews
Göteborg University

• Most pupils show a valid picture of their
  preconceptions concerning hearing and the
  mechanism of hearing at the paper and pencil
  occasion.
• It is possible that the rest knows more than we
  can see in their pre-tests.

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Anatomical structures
Göteborg University

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Implications for teaching
Göteborg University

• To clarify the connecting link of sound from
  outside through the ear to the brain

• To pay attention to the importance
• of the sensory cells inside the ear

• To unlight the importance of hearing
• health

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Implications for teaching - Societal issue
Göteborg University

• Integration of different school subjets in order
  to support an understanding of sound and hearing
  and health

• Socio scientific issue/Humanistic
• perspective in science education
• (including moral reasoning and values)

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Acknowledgement
Göteborg University

• ISSUE-project (Integrating Subject Science
  Understanding in Europe) in Comenius 2.1
  programme within the European community.

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Göteborg University
Eva West Eva.West_at_ped.gu.se