folk knowledge

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Categories: Site glossary

Folk knowledge refers to ideas that are in common currency, but which are naive when compared with the scientific accounts (urban myths, folk remedies, old wives tales, etc).

Folk knowledge is one source of learners' alternative conceptions that may act as learning impediments in science classes.

[Please be aware that a word may have different nuances, or even a different meaning, according to context.]« Back to Index

Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.