A Theoretical Review and Trial Application of the ‘Resources-Based View’ (RBV) as an Alternative Cognitive Theory

Received 3 November 2015Received in revised form 25 November 201527 December 2015Accepted 28 December 2015The purpose of this study is twofold: to theoretically review the ‘resources-based view’ (RBV) developed by D. Hammer and his colleagues as an alternative cognitive theory and to illustrate the usefulness of the theory by applying it to interpret a science learning activity in which undergraduate students worked together to construct a model of the seasons. The theoretical review was based on the exploration of relevant literature and dealt mainly with three types of resources: conceptual, epistemological, and practical resources. The trial application revealed that scientific models have been developed through the combi-nation of different pieces of conceptual resources activated from participants, rather than emerging as unitary wholes. However, all the activated resources were not included into a model, and some of the conceptual resources acted as constraints to constructing a scientific model. The implications included that science educators should be attentive and responsive to students’ resources and help them use the resources productively to learn science.