Topic: Science Education - How to disabuse people of incorrect ideas

[Skeptress]

I too worry that over time giving the misconceptions first will cause the students to suffer.  We generally remember what we hear first and last as well as remember incorrect information more easily (like Steve has pointed out). 

I don't really get the incorrect laws of motion.  I've never believed any of those things.

[cedric86]

These are good points but I'm not sure how well they apply here. He's not just telling people that they are wrong or providing the correct answer. He's forcing them to confront common misconceptions and then engaging them in the process of discovering why their ideas don't make sense, and why the real physics makes sense. I think the engagement and the interaction is key.

I'm just speculating, though. It's too bad we don't have access to a more detailed description of his research, since it might address some of these issues.

[Hekatombaion]

I too worry that over time giving the misconceptions first will cause the students to suffer.  We generally remember what we hear first and last as well as remember incorrect information more easily (like Steve has pointed out). 

I don't really get the incorrect laws of motion.  I've never believed any of those things.

The motion issue is really a matter of people assigning the wrong preconceived notion to scientific vocabulary. If you get that forces are things that are poking at some object in the current moment then you are one of the people that answers force questions correctly the first time.

I don't think remembering the misconception is that big of an issue since you're starting out with "here's something a lot of people mistakenly think." I know that personally when I hear things phrased that way I focus very intently to see if it's a thing I think or not.

Now I do see some risk if they just tell you the idea and then say that it's false after. When you've got to formulate the idea in your head before you have that recognition that it's wrong then there's a lot bigger risk of turning it around in your head, or at least that's how I think it works.

[Oh Henry]

I too worry that over time giving the misconceptions first will cause the students to suffer.  We generally remember what we hear first and last as well as remember incorrect information more easily (like Steve has pointed out). 

Which is also pointed out here: http://www.skepticalscience.com/Debunking-Handbook-now-freely-available-download.html

where research found that opening with a myth, then countering with facts will have a backfire effect.  Over time, people will remember the opening myth and forget the details of the persuant facts.