Sixty-eight studies on conceptual development in the biological sciences are reviewed. These studies originated in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Each study was classified by type of concept(s) under investigation and by the research method employed (focusing on the mode of inquiry and the mode of assessment used). When…

Examined alternative conceptions of animals and animal classification by interviewing fifth grade, eighth grade, and freshmen/sophmore college students (N=62). Subjects were asked to name five animals, state critical attributes, and complete a classification task. Results indicate all ages fail to generalize and discriminate among examples and…