The Determination of Children’s Knowledge of Global Lunar Patterns from Online Essays Using Text Mining Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to use text mining analysis of early adolescents’ online essays to determine their knowledge of global lunar patterns. Australian and American students in grades five to seven wrote about global lunar patterns they had discovered by sharing observations with each other via the Internet. These essays were analyzed for the students’ inclusion of words associated with the shape (i.e., phase), orientation and location of the Moon along with words about similarities and differences. Almost all students wrote about shape but fewer wrote about orientation or location. Students infrequently included words about similarities or differences in the same sentence with shape, orientation or location. Similar to studies about children’s and adults’ lunar misconceptions, it was found that male and female early adolescents also lacked a robust understanding of global lunar patterns.