Science learning as a conceptual and methodological change

Research on pupils’ preconceptions‐particularly in the field of mechanics‐has led to proposals that science teaching should be based on conceptual change strategies. Nevertheless, reservations about this approach have very recently been expressed in two directions, by (1) arguing against the existence of pupils’ alternative frameworks, and (2) suggesting that many intuitive ideas are innate. The inconsistency of both points of view is presented and the need to transform the conceptual change model into a model comprising conceptual and methodological change is argued.