Collaborative Research: Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Refutation Materials for Promoting Conceptual Change in STEM

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Individuals can develop misconceptions from many sources, ranging from incorrect information in online searches to experiences of everyday life. An example is the persistence of thinking that winter happens because the earth is further away from the sun and summer happens because it is closer. (The earth is about the same distance away in both seasons, but the earth's tilt affects the angle at which the sun's rays hit the surface of the northern versus southern hemispheres.) Misconceptions can be very persistent, surviving college physics courses and other educational interventions. One strategy for overcoming misconceptions is the use of refutation materials, which include texts, graphics, videos, and activities. Refutation materials explicitly activate incorrect prior knowledge, prompting the learner to recall their prior incorrect conception at the same time as they process the new correct conception. This co-activation of correct and incorrect models increases the probability that the learner will notice the discrepancies and strive to reconcile them, thus influencing learning. However, some researchers have recently called for caution when using refutation approaches to correct misconceptions because, sometimes when students are presented with certain refutations, they become more entrenched in their misconception. This reaction is called the "backfire effect" and is especially troubling since "just adding knowledge" rarely facilitates conceptual change. It is difficult to determine whether refutation materials will promote conceptual change or further strengthen misconceptions. This proposal aims to enhance STEM literacy by helping STEM educators understand when refutation might be best used to improve STEM knowledge.The goals of this research synthesis are to study 1) the heterogeneity among the average effects of refutation materials on conceptual change and learning in STEM domains and 2) the factors (design, contextual, methodological, etc.) that foster or inhibit the effectiveness of refutation materials. To address this need, the project will use state of the art meta-analytic techniques to comprehensively search for studies about refutation, synthesize the findings, and identify factors that moderate the effects of refutation materials. The project is designed to advance the field and provide teachers, practitioners, and science communicators with a valuable resource by determining what type of refutation materials work, for whom, and under what conditions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.