The Process of Conceptual Change in Force and Motion during Computer-Supported Physics Instruction Ping-Kee Tao, 1 Richard F. Gunstone 2 1 Department of Curriculum Studies, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China 2 Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia Received 17 December 1996; revised 10 July 1998; accepted 17 August 1998 Abstract: The process of students’ conceptual change was investigated during a computer-supported physics unit in a Grade 10 science class. Computer simulation programs were developed to confront stu- dents’ alternative conceptions in mechanics. A conceptual test was administered as a pre-, post-, and de- layed posttest to determine students’ conceptual change. Students worked collaboratively in pairs on the programs carrying out predict–observe–explain tasks according to worksheets. While the pairs worked on the tasks, their conversational interactions were recorded. A range of other data was collected at various junctures during instruction. At each juncture, the data for each of 12 students were analyzed to provide a conceptual snapshot at that juncture. All the conceptual snapshots together provided a delineation of the students’ conceptual development. It was found that many students vacillated between alternative and sci- entific conceptions from one context to another during instruction, i.e., their conceptual change was con- text dependent and unstable. The few students who achieved context independent and stable conceptual change appeared to be able to perceive the commonalities and accept the generality of scientific concep- tions across contexts. These findings led to a pattern of conceptual change which has implications for instructional practices. The article concludes with consequent implications for classsrooms. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 859–882, 1999 Students’ alternative conceptions have been a dominant area of research in science educa- tion for more than 2 decades. The proliferation of research is well documented in books (e.g., Driver, Guesne, & Tiberghien, 1985; Osborne & Freyberg, 1985; Driver, Squires, Rushworth, & Wood-Robinson, 1994; Treagust, Duit, & Fraser, 1995), reviews (e.g., Driver & Erickson, 1983; Wandersee, Mintzes, & Novak, 1994), and bibliographies (Carmichael, Driver, Holding, Phillips, Twigger, & Watts, 1990; Pfundt & Duit, 1994). The field of study has now reached a stage where it is perhaps no longer fruitful to continue to survey students’ conceptions in more domains. Instead, a more productive approach is to focus on the nature and process of concep- tual change and to search for theoretical underpinnings for the field of study. The identification JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING VOL. 36, NO. 7, PP. 859–882 (1999) © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. CCC 0022-4308/99/070859-24 Correspondence to: P.K. Tao