Nagle, A. & Marton, F. (1993) Learning, knowing and understanding. Paper presented at the 5th EARLI conference Aix-en-Provence, 31 August-5 September, University of Provence.

Reports a study into qualitatively different forms of perceiving the interrelation between the concepts of understand, learn and know. The interviewees were student teachers in a first year university program. Participants were found to perceive basic concepts, such as learn, understand and know, differently.

Neuman, D. (1991) Early conceptions of division. A phenomenographic approach, Proceedings of Psychology of Mathematics Education, 15, 1991, Assisi, Italy, pp. 72-79.

The work on division presented here is done with younger pupils in the 7 - 13 age range, most of them 7 - 10 years old, and it primarily concerns calculation strategies and conceptions of division. In order to identify students informally developed division strategies and the conceptions they represented the children were asked to respond to two problems:
1. Four boys have got 28 marbles to share. how many marbles does each boy have?
2. Mum has baked 42 buns. She puts them into plastic bags, six in each bag. How many bags does she need?
The informally developed conceptions are described in the paper.

Nordenbo, S.E. (1990) How do computer novices perceive information technology? A qualitative study based on a new methodology. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 34(1): 43-76.

An investigation of adult learners views of computers. Three different styles of analysis were conducted: narrative reading, polar structure, and phenomenographic. Suggests a different approach to testing the validity of qualitative analyses.

Nuutinen, A. (1995) Elements of conceptual restructuring in university studies. Paper presented to the 6th EARLI Conference, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, August 26 - 31.

In complex learning situations, such as higher education, a constructivistic approach in learning has appeared promising, because scientific knowledge formation itself seems to have the nature of conceptual construction. Analysis of curricula in higher education gives an impression of continuous enrichment of existing conceptual structures rather than a restructuring. However, in scientific knowledge formation we also change constructions, not only enrich them. Certain branches of science even consist of parallel competing conceptual schemes. In the present study, university students' conceptions and experiences of learning were analyzed to identify ingredients and elements of conceptual restructuring. Students (30 in behavioural science and 30 in natural sciences) were interviewed at the beginning, middle and end of their studies. The interview focused on the student's conceptual constructions of some phenomena, the need to change those constructions, and the reasons for any changes. Also, the student's knowledge orientation and learning process were addressed in the interview. The interviews were conducted using the theme interview method. The interviews were transcribed verbatim. Analyses were carried out using phenomenographic method in each topic. The approach used in the study could be called description from the conscious learner's point of view. Rich qualitative descriptions of results are presented and the consequences for university instruction are discussed. (Author s abstract).

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, Z.