4th And 5th Grade Students’ Knowledge Development Concerning Blood Circulation During Exercise

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to explore fourth and fifth grade students’ perceptions about blood circulation anatomy and adaptation during exercise, from the perspective of Framework Theory for Conceptual Change. The participants were 29 fourth (N=15) and fifth grade (N=14) students. Data were collected using written questionnaires and semi-structured interviews using scenarios and open-ended questions. The findings revealed a continuum of five mental models reflecting the diversity of students’ perceptions concerning blood circulation during exercise. The majority of the students (N=12) regardless of grade level demonstrated lack of knowledge about the anatomy and the function of the circulatory system during exercise. They simply formed naive theories based on their subjective feelings contradictory to the scientific prevailing theory. The findings of the present study imply that students in their attempt to understand the blood circulation during exercise seek mental coherence among the information they receive from social-contextual factors and their existing knowledge.