SIG 03 Conceptual Change

The SIG brings together researchers from the fields of education, cognitive and developmental psychology and several others with the purpose of investigating the problem of conceptual change in development, learning, and instruction. Research on conceptual change has provided detailed descriptions and explanations of learners' difficulties in diverse areas, such as physics, mathematics, biology and history. Under the common denominator of the conceptual change approach to learning, several theoretical assumptions have served as a source of hypotheses and have guided rich and fruitful research agendas. The SIG has been exploring the possibility to synthesize constructivist and socio-cultural perspectives on learning and to investigate the effect of epistemological beliefs and ‘hot cognition' factors on conceptual change learning. The implications of research on conceptual change in the design of instruction are currently among the priorities of the SIG.

Next Meeting

If you have any questions or any proposals, please contact

Natassa Kyriakopoulou [ankyriak@ecd.uoa.gr], Katarina Gvozdic [katarina.gvozdic@unige.ch] & Madalin Marian Deliu [madalindeliu@usal.es]

Previous Meetings

11. Thomas Gennen, Université Libre de Bruxelles: "A multi-level analysis of conceptual change research: Theoretical divisions and the underexplored contributions of developmental education"

10. Ilona Södervik, University of Helsinki: “Conceptual Change in Life Science Education for Sustainability”

9. Irene-Anna Diakidoy, University of Cyprus: “The Refutation Text Effect”

8. Tamer Amin, American University of Beirut: "Outline of a Unified Theory of Conceptual Change (UTCC) in Science Learning"

7. Xenia Vamvakoussi, University of Ioannina: "Bridging the Gap between Conceptual Change Research and Research in Mathematics Education"

6. Emmanuel Sander, University of Geneva: "Introducing an Analogical Framework to Foster Conceptual Change in Education"

5. Stella Vosniadou, Flinders University: "Misconceptions and their Role in Conceptual Change Research"

4. Markus Bohlmann, University of Münster: "Concepts in Philosophy: An Interdisciplinary Perspective on Concepts and Conceptual Change”

3. Gertraud Benke, Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt: “What Do You Mean, When You Talk About ‘Concepts’? A Brief Input on the Unity and Diversity of the Concept of Concept“

2. Peter Edelsbrunner, ETH Zurich: “Is Inhibition Really an Important Construct for Education, and What Is It Anyway? A Cognitive-Psychometric Discussion Based on New Data from the Statement-Verification Paradigm."

1. Konstantinos Christou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki: “What Conceptual Change is and What It Is Not”

Through the SIG 03 JURE Outstanding Publication Recognition, the Special Interest Group 03 on Conceptual Change recognizes and honors significant contributions to the field from early-career researchers. The award is intended to acknowledge exemplary research and applaud commendable efforts within the field of conceptual change research.

Eligibility

• Nominees must have received their PhD no more than two years before the nomination deadline.

• Nominees need to be JURE members of EARLI when submitting. Being a SIG 03 member is not required.
  

• The nominated publication must have been published in an academic journal or book series within the last three years or is currently on press (i.e. 2023–2025). The awardee needs to be the first author of the respective publication.

• A committee of four members will evaluate each submission for scientific quality and contribution to the field.

• There is no strict topic restriction, though relevance to conceptual change is one of the evaluation criteria.

• The nomination should entail the following:
  • Name of nominee and name of nominator (self-nominations welcome)
  • A full reference to the paper, including a link. If no online version is yet available, please send the last submitted and accepted version of the manuscript or provide a link to a preprint.
  • An explanation about what makes this paper unique. Why do you believe it represents exceptional scholarship? (word limit: 250 words)
    
  • A description of its contribution to the field of Conceptual Change (word limit: 250 words).

The awardee will be invited to give a JURE Keynote at the SIG 03 & SIG 20 Joint Conference 2026.

Deadline for nominations: 31 October 2025
Submit nominations (including self-nominations) with the subject line "SIG03 JURE Recognition" to:

ankyriak@ecd.uoa.gr & katarina.gvozdic@unige.ch

SIG 03 & SIG 20 Joint Conference 2026
Conceptual Change and Inquiry Learning

Theme: Bridging Conceptual Change and Inquiry: Pathways to Meaningful Learning

📍 Location: University of Turku, Finland
📅 Date: 25–27 August 2026

Summer School for Junior Researchers:
24–25 August 2026

For further details regarding the conference, please visit the conference website https://www.earli.org/events/sig3-sig20-2026