Stockholm university

Research group Conceptual Change

The research is based on a constructivist perspective with a focus on conceptual change, where students revise and reconstruct prior knowledge as they encounter concepts and theories addressed in teaching. The main areas are geography and social studies with a particular emphasis on economics.

Group description

We develop theories of knowledge formation – how knowledge is created and change into new insights. We focus on conceptual change theoretically and empirically and examine how the process unfolds as students create new understandings when encountering scientific concepts and explanations. In our research we use a variety of methods and design interventions.

Research on conceptual change originates in Piaget's work and has expanded since the 1970s to encompass all subjects. Over the past fifteen years, there has been a growing emphasis on affective aspects such as emotions, identity, and values that influence learning. Additionally, conceptual change research investigates students' views of science – epistemic beliefs – and how such beliefs affect conceptual development and learning.

Focus topics

The research focuses on education in geography and social studies at all levels of the educational system. Social studies in primary and secondary education include a wide range of subjects such as economics, law, and political science, for example politics, democracy and policy. Additionally, research centres on business economics, history, religious education and philosophy. 

We also research teacher education on social studies and religious education to advance teacher students’ conceptual understanding and knowledge of planning instruction. 

Climate change, environmental problems and sustainability are integrated into - or related to - geography and social studies and are part of the research agenda.

Group members

Group managers

Cecilia Lundholm

Professor

Department of Teaching and Learning
Cecilia Lundholm

Members

Adam Jacobsson

Lecturer

Department of Economics
Adam Jacobsson

Anna Bendz

Senior Lecturer

University of Gothenburg
Anna Bendz

Caroline Ignell

Senior lecturer

Department of Education
Caroline Ignell

Gabriel Bladh

Professor of Social Science Education

Karlstad University

Linda Ekström

Filosofie doktor

Södertörns högskola

Maja Torres Madzar

Lecturer

Department of Teaching and Learning
Maja Torres Madzar

Mattias Arrhenius

Doktorand

Department of Teaching and Learning
Mattias Arrhenius

Peter Davies

Professor

School of Education, University of Birmingham
Peter Davies

Research projects

Publications

Using Visual Representations to Enhance Students’ Understanding of Causal Relationships in Price.

Jägerskog, A-S. (2020). Using Visual Representations to Enhance Students’ Understanding of Causal Relationships in Price. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 65(1):1-18.