A Study of Children's Conception of Speed

Author: Chun-Kuei Wang(Keelung Municipal Chien-Der Elementry School), Jing Chung(National Taipei Teachers College)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 49, No.1
Date：April 2004
Pages：41-64
DOI：10.6300/JNTNU.2004.49(1).03

Abstract：

This is a qualitative study. The researchers took a semi-structured approach, interviewing forty-two children in order to discover the differences with regard to performance and misconceptions about "speed" between kindergardeners and first to sixth graders. The conclusions of this study may be applied to teaching projects or to the evaluation of primary school learning in the future. The main conclusions were as follows: children's experiences and knowledge have an influence on their conception of speed, and children of different ages show large differences in their awareness and ability to judge speed. In judging the speed of moving cars, children in kindergarten, first and second grade don't pay attention to the interaction between distance and the time-line; they only consider the movement of the wheels of automobiles, and who overtakes whom or who arrives first. However, third and fourth graders can see that the distance and time-line of movement are direct effects and thus measures of speed. Fifth and sixth graders are able to learn the relationships between speed, distance and the time-line, so that they need not depend on direct comparison; they can use a quantitative method to determine speeds.

Keywords：conception of speed, distance, time-line, misconception, semi-structured approach

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