“…In early studies, children's conceptions of knowledge and how those conceptions were related to their definitions of the task at hand were explored (e.g., Nicholls & Nelson, 1992; Nicholls, Nelson, & Gleaves, 1995; Nicholls & Thorkildsen, 1988, 1989; Silva & Nicholls, 1993). Later, Nicholls, Thorkildsen, and their colleagues began to explore children's perceptions of their rights to have theories of their own (Johnston & Nicholls, 1995; Nelson, Nicholls, & Gleaves, 1996; Nicholls, 1992b; Nicholls & Hazzard, 1993; Nicholls, McKenzie, & Shufro, 1994; Nicholls & Thorkildsen, 1995, 1997; Nolen & Nicholls, 1993; Thorkildsen & Nicholls, 1991; Thorkildsen et al, 1994). Collectively, Nicholls and his colleagues organized their research around the general purpose of illuminating students' experiences.…”