manifold conceptions

Categories: Site glossary

the phenomena of someone apparently holding several alternative (/potentially completing) conceptions relating to the same canonical concept

"Sometimes a person holds one, and only one, understanding of a phenomenon. However conceptualisation is often more multifaceted: a person may understand the same phenomenon in different ways – which may, or may not, seem inconsistent….Moreover, different conceptualisations may seem complementary (rather than contrary), in which case manifold conceptions provide a richer and potentially more applicable conceptualisation" (Taber, 2019, p.453)

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.