The body is a mystery for many people, not least because we cannot see what lies inside our own bodies. One of the most well-known systems is the digestive system, especially the tube that runs from the mouth-esophagus-stomach to the various intestines. It becomes more problematic when we ask people to explain how more than one organ system is interconnected. Images around us usually depict one organ system at a time or sometimes two, but almost never three organ systems together. Even in textbooks, the same pattern persists rarely, if ever, do three organ systems appear simultaneously in a single image. The consequence of this is that it becomes difficult to explain how water is transported within the body. To describe how water travels from the mouth until it is excreted as urine, one needs to understand the relationships between at least three organ systems: the digestive system, circulatory system, and excretory system. Beyond these systems, there are also the nervous system, lymphatic system, etc., but in this text, we focus on the first three systems.

I have conducted four major studies, three of which are published in journals, and a fourth that has been presented at research conferences and will eventually be published in a journal. The first study was conducted in Sweden [1], and the second in South Africa [2]. Both studies were conducted with grade 9 students and explored not only water but also two other scenarios: what happens when one eats a sandwich and when one takes pain medication. The studies were based on surveys and interviews with both students and teachers. The results revealed that a significant portion (approximately 25%) of students held non-scientific explanatory models—explanations that were not taught or supported by textbooks. Interestingly, the explanatory patterns differed significantly between Swedish (and other European) studies and those conducted in South Africa. This phenomenon likely exists in other countries and cultures, although few studies have explored it. Very few students were able to connect three organ systems (≤ 10%).

The third [3] and fourth [4] studies were based on surveys of pre-service teacher education students. These included pre-service preschool teachers who had completed their natural science courses, as well as pre-service teachers who had not yet begun their science studies and would be teaching grades 4 to 6. Notably, these were adults who had received most of their education in compulsory schools and high schools. Among these students, non-scientific explanatory models were also prevalent. Therefore, it is crucial for educators to help students view the body as a system rather than separate islands of organs. 

Keywords: Water, organ, organ systems, grade 9, higher education, misconceptions   

References

[1]        Granklint Enochson, P. & Redfors , A.(2012) Sweden Student´s Ideas About the Human Body and their Ability to Transfer Knowledge Between Related Scenarios. European Journal of Health and Biology Education Vol. 1, No. 1 &2, July 2012, page:3-29

[2]       Granklint Enochson, P., Redfors A., Dempster, E. R. & Tibell, L. A. (2015) Ideas about the Human Body among Secondary Students in South Africa. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Vol 19, s. 199-211

[3]        Granklint Enochson P. (2022) Pre-service teachers’ ideas about the path of water through the body and their intentions about explaining it to preschool children. Journal of Biological Education August 2022 online, s 1-10 

[4]     Granklint Enochson P. (2024) Teacher students' prior knowledge of water pathways and what they think is essential pupils’ knowledge. Conference paper NFSUN 24, Reykjavik, Iceland