New chapter published: Correcting Misconceptions

Paul Kirschner and I wrote a new chapter for the recently published book Investigating Educational Psychology, edited by Tesia Marshik, Mary Beth Leibham, Michael I. Axelrod, and Stephen Hupp.

As authors, we argue that accurate information alone often isn’t enough to address learners’ misconceptions. Misconceptions are not merely due to a lack of knowledge. They can be deeply entrenched in learners’ pre-existing knowledge, aka schemata. They filter incoming information through what they already know. The learners may even reinterpret evidence that contradicts their misconception. Instruction must therefore address misconceptions, confront them, and prompt conceptual restructuring.

Abstract of the chapter:

Many educators, policymakers, and even researchers assume that misconceptions are easy to correct: once learners are presented with the right information, they’ll simply replace their incorrect beliefs with accurate ones. The underlying idea is that learning is a rational and linear process—if students know better, they’ll do better. This sounds logical, plausible, and appealing, especially in an age that values quick solutions and evidence-based teaching. After all, if misinformation arises from ignorance, then instruction should be the remedy.

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