Student Knowledge About the Water Cycle and Its Change in Different Interest Groups

This study describes the role of interest in eighth-grade students’ (N=183) knowledge formation. Student knowledge was measured through open-ended questions at three time points: once before and twice after specific topics had been taught in a regular 45 min geography lesson. Student interest level was assessed using teacher ratings. Student answers to seven open-ended questions were coded and placed into one of three categories: everyday, synthetic, or scientific knowledge. Results showed that higher interest was related to providing fewer everyday and more synthetic answers. However, student answers changed similarly in all interest groups as measured before and after learning. The content of student answers tended to change as a result of the lesson, but these changes reflected the formation of new synthetic knowledge.