Intentional Conceptual Change.INTENTIONAL CONCEPTUAL CHANGE. G. M. Sinatra & P. R. Pintrich (Eds.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2003. 479pp. $99.95. Can educators affect the knowledge base and structure of another learner beyond that person's motivation to learn? This powerful and essential question is the fundamental basis of Sinatra and Pintrich's persuasive book on intentional conceptual change. Their approach to the question covers many epistemological e·pis·te·mol·o·gy n. The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity. [Greek epist grounds, including metacognition Metacognition refers to thinking about cognition (memory, perception, calculation, association, etc.) itself or to think/reason about one's own thinking. Types of knowledge , self-analysis, domain-specificity, socio-culture, and motivation. The delineation of each of these topics richly encompasses both research and theory, with ideas postulated pos·tu·late tr.v. pos·tu·lat·ed, pos·tu·lat·ing, pos·tu·lates 1. To make claim for; demand. 2. To assume or assert the truth, reality, or necessity of, especially as a basis of an argument. 3. for continuing research in this field. This tripartite TRIPARTITE. Consisting of three parts, as a deed tripartite, between A of the first part, B of the second part, and C of the third part. volume begins with an exploration of cognition cognition Act or process of knowing. Cognition includes every mental process that may be described as an experience of knowing (including perceiving, recognizing, conceiving, and reasoning), as distinguished from an experience of feeling or of willing. , metacognition, and conceptual change. The authors discuss (with many examples) mental phenomena, such as mind-to-world fit and the inverse, world-to-mind fit, to clarify our intentional reception of knowledge as well as our intentional accommodation of sociocultural so·ci·o·cul·tur·al adj. Of or involving both social and cultural factors. so  ci·o·cul knowledge. Part
II of the book deals with epistemological and social belief systems, and
presents case studies and domain-specific delineation of belief changes,
together with discussions about structuring instruction to facilitate
the appropriate conceptual change. Part III places these discussions
within a socio-cultural framework and provides directions for future
research.
The volume is purposefully intense, with deliberations that call on the readers to examine their own styles of learning and knowledge acquisition. It also focuses our attention on our roles as teachers and questions our assumptions about basic conceptual changes in students' minds. This book is a highly recommended read for all scholars in the field, particularly researchers interested in cognition, learning, and knowledge structures. Reviewed by Sudha Swaminathan, Associate Professor, Eastern Connecticut State University Eastern Connecticut State University is a public, coeducational liberal arts university and is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. It is located in Willimantic, Connecticut. , Willimantic, CT |
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