Stable or Variable? An Exploration of How Students Conceptualize Scientific Questions and How Their Conceptions Develop During Instruction

The conceptions with which students enter the classroom are widely acknowledged as a vital resource for meaningful teaching and learning. While students’ conceptions related to science content and disciplinary core ideas (e.g., force and motion, energy) have been extensively investigated, relatively little is known about students’ conceptions related to scientific practices (e.g., asking scientific questions and conducting investigations) and how these develop. To address this gap, we analyzed video data from N = 33 students working in small groups on learning material that aims to foster concepts related to the practice of asking questions. Through inductive category formation via qualitative content analysis, 16 different conceptions related to scientific questions were identified, including both productive and unproductive conceptions from a scientific point of view. Furthermore, longitudinal analysis revealed that the conceptions students construct vary considerably, even in relatively short periods of time and in similar situations. The findings demonstrate the importance of investigating students’ conceptions not only for science content but also for scientific practices. Furthermore, they provide insights into which conceptions might need to be addressed with instruction and offer implications for more fundamental questions regarding the stability and variability of students’ conceptions.