Learning Visual Illusions as an Approach to Overcoming Child's Misconception about Mass and Shape

Katsuhiro Goto¹ and Shu Matsuura^2∗

¹Shibuya ward Nishihara Elementary School, 2-22-1 Nishihara, Shibuya ward, Tokyo 151-0066, Japan
²Faculty of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University, 4-1-1 Nukuikita, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8501, Japan
^*E-mail address: shum00@u-gakugei.ac.jp

(Received August 12, 2020; Accepted September 10, 2021)

Abstract. Many elementary students have a well-known misconception that when the shape of an object changes, its weight also changes. To overcome this misconception, students need to rethink critically on their sensory judgments about shape and weight. In this viewpoint, examples of the visual illusions were introduced to let students be interested in their restriction of visual recognition. In this study, we hypothesized that discussions on the visual illusion are effective for elementary students to understand the volume and weight of objects correctly. Pre- and post-class tests showed that the students in the class who experienced the visual illusions and discussed them made significant improvements in overcoming misconception about the weight of the object.

Keywords: Critical Thinking, Misconception on Weight, Visual Illusion, Science Education