91-1 I Say Mineral, and You Say Rock: Undergraduates Prior Knowledge and Alternative Conceptions Regarding Mineral Concepts

Session: Current Advances in Geoscience Education Research

Presenting Author:

Authors:

Abstract:

Constructivism advocates that students build on pre-established mental frameworks with the knowledge they gain by actively participating in educational environments. Consequently, students’ alternative conceptions, ideas that do not align with agreed upon scientific understandings, could hinder students’ ability to scaffold new information to these frameworks, which students would later use to analyze and learn more complex geological concepts.

Mineral identification labs are often one of the first labs taught to undergraduate students, as many geologic topics and processes scaffold upon concepts taught in the mineral lab. Consequently, it is vital students begin with a strong and accurate understanding of minerals.

Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through one-on-one interviews with 15 undergraduate students from the University of Northern Colorado. Our research focused on how students’ prior knowledge affects their understanding of mineral properties and geological processes. We discovered that students had both correct and incorrect knowledge regarding geology concepts. We identified four distinct parent alternative conception themes that were grounded in students’ prior knowledge and experiences: (1) differences between minerals and rocks (e.g., they are the same), (2) mineral composition (e.g., lighter crystals contain more air), (3) where minerals form (e.g., caves), and (4) mineral surface features. The fourth alternative conception theme was the most prominent and included six daughter themes: (1) mineral characteristics (e.g., all are smooth), (2) origin of planar surfaces (e.g., were cut), (3) sedimentary knowledge (e.g., mica is formed from layering), (4) mineral relations (e.g., minerals of similar shape are related), (5) environmental impacts (e.g., during formation sand was incorporated to turn the mineral orange), and (6) age of minerals (e.g., fragility determines age).

Our research adds to previous work on the alternative conceptions held by novice earth science students. It shows that students can conflate their knowledge of minerals with scientific concepts from other disciplines such as biology and chemistry. Additionally, students’ prior knowledge may be polluted with alternative conceptions. These alternative conceptions can result in a flawed comprehension of basic mineral concepts and an unstable foundation on which to build an accurate understanding of some basic geological concepts required to understand other material discussed in an introductory geoscience course. 

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

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