Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Mosart Website

Before starting science methods I would have thought children had misconceptions but me being the teacher could easily change those. I would have got the first question wrong for what are misconceptions, if it wasn't for class discussions. Children hold misconceptions and can most all the time back up those misconceptions. I was shocked at the children's misconceptions about the heart but also the little girl that was talking about blood. No matter what the teacher was prompting, she was sure the blood was blue in some parts and red in other parts but when it hits the air it turns red. It is also interesting that when you ask them how they know such thing it is because they have heard it from someone older. Misconceptions are hard to change, complex, based on students experience, and present at all grades and achievement levels.
When asking what percent will the students get on a misconception-based multiple choice test I had no idea. I guessed every possible answer before guessing 40-55%. They are more difficult because they are based on a different understanding of science. In classroom assessment number one you are not testing those skills that the advanced students do not know. You would think that the advanced students would not need to be tested on the basic level items because they are advanced. In a Mosart class you measure what everyone in the class knows which are those basic skills that students have misconceptions about.
Mosart tests are to given at the beginning and end of a course and it will reveal the concepts students understand and what they have misconceptions about. This makes sense because that way the teacher knows what misconceptions to address and what to teach. At the end the teacher will know what the students are still holding onto. Misconceptions should not be viewed as a negative thing but as a students learning process. Mosart tests should not be for a grade but more to give the teacher an idea of where their students are. After viewing the tutorials Mosart tests seem like something that I would use in my classroom to help me tackle my students misconceptions.


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