Using Graphic Texts to Facilitate Conceptual Change About Gender

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Teaching Educational Psychology SIG Poster Session (San Diego)

Abstract

As our understanding of different social constructs such as gender becomes increasingly important and present, it is important to understand the common misconceptions students have related to the topic and how we can change those misconceptions. We found that there are several constructs, such as the gender binary structure or the social construction nature of both concepts, that the participants held misconceptions or lacked knowledge. We then tested the influence of interventions meant to facilitate conceptual change. We compared a refutation text, a graphic refutation text, and true control. We found that the refutation text and the graphic text generated conceptual change more than a control. Our research contributes to the literature on conceptual change processes and different educational strategies.

Authors

• Quan Phan, University of Oklahoma

• Benjamin C. Heddy, University of Oklahoma