Conceptual Misconceptions About Fungi in Tenth-Grade Students and Their Relationship to Scientific Curiosity

Aim. This study aimed to investigate conceptual errors related to fungi and their relationship with the level of scientific curiosity among tenth-grade students in public schools in Jordan. Method. A descriptive-correlational design was employed to identify students’ misconceptions and examine their association with scientific curiosity. Results. Findings revealed that the highest percentage of conceptual errors occurred in the domain of fungal reproduction, followed by fungal structure and functions, fungi in medicine and industry, and fungi in the environment and their ecological role, while the lowest errors were observed in symbiotic interactions and pathogenic fungi. The results also indicated a high level of scientific curiosity across all domains and on the overall scale. Moreover, a significant negative correlation was found between students’ conceptual errors about fungi and their level of scientific curiosity. Conclusion. The study recommends utilizing students’ high scientific curiosity through remedial instructional strategies to address misconceptions about fungi. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for teacher training programs aimed at enhancing educators’ ability to identify and correct conceptual errors effectively.