A Cognitive-Contextual Framework for Biology Conceptual Change in Classrooms

Thesis Abstract

This study investigates how a cognitive-contextual approach can facilitate conceptual change in biology classrooms by integrating students’ prior conceptions, classroom discourse, and contextualized epistemic practices to promote scientifically accurate understandings of core biology concepts. The problem addressed is the persistence of alternative conceptions about topics such as natural selection, cellular respiration, and photosynthesis, which are reinforced by intuitive heuristics and context-dependent reasoning and hinder progression to scientifically valid frameworks. The aim is to develop and evaluate a cognitive-contextual framework that explicitly maps the interaction between individual cognitive processes and classroom contexts to produce durable conceptual change. Specific objectives are to (i) delineate the cognitive biases and preconceptions most predictive of biology misconceptions among secondary school students; (ii) operationalize contextual variables in classroom environments, including discourse patterns, task design, and instructional sequences, that align with cognitive mechanisms of conceptual change; (iii) design and pilot an instructional intervention grounded in the framework and assess its impact on conceptual understanding; and (iv) model the relationships between cognitive factors, contextual supports, and learning outcomes to guide scalable instruction. A mixed-methods approach is employed in a sequential explanatory design. The study is conducted in three public secondary schools with a total population of approximately 1,200 biology students in grades 9–11. A stratified random sample of 360 students is selected, with 120 students per school, and within-schools random assignment to an experimental condition (n=180) and a control condition (n=180). The intervention comprises a 12-week unit on core biology concepts, embedded with cognitive conflict elicitation, dialogic discourse, and context-rich tasks designed per the framework. Data collection instruments include (i) a concept inventory (validated for biology misconceptions) administered as a pretest, posttest, and a two-month follow-up; (ii) a classroom observation protocol capturing discourse patterns, epistemic moves, and alignment of tasks with the framework, used across 24 sessions; (iii) think-aloud protocols and focused interviews with a purposive sample of 30 students to probe cognitive processing and contextual influences; (iv) teacher interviews and reflective journals to gauge fidelity and perceived feasibility. Validity and reliability are established through content validity by biology education experts, pilot testing, inter-rater reliability assessments for observation coding (Cohen’s kappa > 0.80), and test-retest reliability for the concept inventory (r > 0.85). Data analysis involves (i) multilevel hierarchical linear modeling to evaluate treatment effects on concept inventory scores while accounting for school and classroom nesting; (ii) regression analyses to identify predictors among cognitive variables (e.g., epistemic beliefs, working memory) and contextual variables (e.g., discourse quality, task design); (iii) thematic analysis of think-aloud transcripts and interviews to uncover mechanisms of conceptual change and contextual mediation; and (iv) structural equation modeling to test the proposed cognitive-contextual pathways integrating cognitive and contextual factors. The theoretical underpinnings draw on the Cognitive Conf CP theory of conceptual change, Vygotskian sociocultural theory, and the Epistemic Cognition framework, with the integrated model named the Cognitive-Contextual Change Model (CCCM). Expected findings include (a) significant improvements in scientifically accurate conceptions in the intervention group compared with controls at posttest and sustained at follow-up; (b) mediation effects showing that enhanced discourse quality and context-aligned tasks strengthen the relationship between epistemic beliefs and conceptual change; (c) identification of key cognitive predictors (e.g., high levels of epistemic doubt, tolerance for uncertainty) that interact with contextual supports to predict learning gains; and (d) qualitative evidence of iterative refinement of student conceptions through structured dialogic discourse and context-rich investigations. The study contributes to knowledge by operationalizing a theory-driven framework that bridges cognitive processes and classroom contexts to generate durable biology conceptual change, providing a scalable instructional blueprint for curriculum designers and teacher educators. The main conclusion anticipates that intentionally designed cognitive-contextual sequences can catalyze robust, transferable understanding of foundational biology concepts, and recommendations emphasize professional development for teachers in dialogic pedagogy, assessment of epistemic cognition, and design of contextually authentic learning tasks that align with cognitive-change processes.