依據建構主義的學習觀，兒童時期是人類知識獲取與價值判斷之形成的關鍵時期，因此，在能源日益缺乏的今天，了解學童對能量及能源的認知，並進一步探討學生的錯誤概念及其形成的原因，是今日我們必須加以研究及探討的一項重要課題。 本研究主要的目的為:(1)設計三種能源及能量概念的診斷工具。(2)探討國小學童在能源及能量『前期概念』的發展情況。(3)探討國小學生在能源及能量概上的思考類型。(4)比較不同年級及性別的學生在能源及能量概念上的思考模式的特徵。 本研究中編製三種不同類型的工具，在前期概念的思考模式方面採用『開放式工具』，在能源及能量概念測驗時則採用『紙筆式』及『圖形診斷』兩項工具。選取臺北縣三所國小四、五、六年級學生共737名(男373名，女364名)進行試驗。 主要研究結果發現:(1)大部分受試學生的能量及能源的前期概念發展為:『人類為中心』，『力量的來源』，『卡通人物或電動玩具』等幾種能源觀。(2)在接受紙筆式能源及能量概念測驗時，ANOVA結果顯示年級和性別間沒有交互作用存在，但分別在年級間或性別間的主要效果則達統計上的顯著差異(p<.001)，再經事後考驗結果，發現六年級成績為最高，四年級為最低，且男生的成績優於女生。(3)以圖形診斷工具測試能源及能量概念時，ANOVA結果顯示年級和性別間沒有交互作用存在，但在年級間的主要效果則達統計上的顯著差異(p<.01)，經薛費法之事後考驗顯六年汲成績最高，五年級次之，四年級最低。但以圖形診斷能源及能量概念時，受試者在性別間則未達統計上的顯著差異。

　　　　　 According to constructivise view for classroom practice, childhood is the crucial period for a human being to acquire the knowledge and form the concept of value judgment. Conception of energy is required day by day. As a result, it is an essential work for us to investigate the children's conception of energy. The main purposes of this study were:(1)to construct three types of the diagnostic instruments about the conception of energy, (2)to investigate students' preconception about energy, (3)to examine student's thinking modes on energy, (4)to explore the gender and grade difference in the conception of energy. The pupils' ideas about the conception of energy was investigated by using three kinds of instruments which were designed by the author: open-ended questions, structured response paper-and-pencil questions, and graphic tasks. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 737 pupils enrolled in the late years of elementary schooling, of which 373 were boys, 364 were girls. The finding indicated as following:(1)Most students had a preconception about energy as "centers of human life", "power source", or just "cartoon figures or electronic toys". (2)By using paper-and pencil tests or by graphic task, there was no interaction between grade and genders by ANOVA. From the main effect, it revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between grade levels or genders respectively (p<.001). By a posteriori comparisons, the finding was that the scores of grade 6 is the highest, and that of grade 4 is the lowest among grade 4 to grade 6. Boys performed better than girls. (3)By using graphic task, the ANOVA shown that there was no interaction between grade and gender. From the main effect, there was a significant difference between grade levels (p<.01). By Scheffe method, it was found that 6th graders got the highest scores than the other students. But statistically significant difference were not found between genders by using graphic task.