Observation and Inference in Chemistry Teaching: a Model-Based Approach to the Integration of the Macro and Submicro Levels

Abstract

The aim of this article is to propose a didactical approach to establish appropriate relations between different kinds of chemical knowledge and explanations at the macro and the submicro level. Incorrectly moving between these two levels is regarded as the cause of many misconceptions in school chemistry, and several theoretical frameworks have been proposed to remedy those misconceptions. Our literature review of chemistry education shows that a focus of attention for the macro-submicro interplay problem is put in the relations between observations and inferences; we examine such relations with the aid of ideas from the philosophy of science and the specific philosophy of chemistry. We propose a model-based approach that recognises the continuum between empirical and theoretical, descriptive and explanatory in chemical concepts. Finally, we provide an “exemplary activity” on the topic of gases based on this approach, and we evaluate its suitability in terms of some well-established ideas in didactics of science/chemistry.

Full text

Vol.:(0123456789)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-021-00216-z
1 3
ARTICLE
Observation andInference inChemistry Teaching:
aModel‑Based Approach totheIntegration oftheMacro
andSubmicro Levels
DavutSarıtaş1 · HasanÖzcan2 · AgustínAdúriz‑Bravo3
Accepted: 8 March 2021
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2021
Abstract
The aim of this article is to propose a didactical approach to establish appropriate rela-
tions between different kinds of chemical knowledge and explanations at the macro and
the submicro level. Incorrectly moving between these two levels is regarded as the cause
of many misconceptions in school chemistry, and several theoretical frameworks have been
proposed to remedy those misconceptions. Our literature review of chemistry education
shows that a focus of attention for the macro-submicro interplay problem is put in the rela-
tions between observations and inferences; we examine such relations with the aid of ideas
from the philosophy of science and the specific philosophy of chemistry. We propose a
model-based approach that recognises the continuum between empirical and theoretical,
descriptive and explanatory in chemical concepts. Finally, we provide an “exemplary activ-
ity” on the topic of gases based on this approach, and we evaluate its suitability in terms of
some well-established ideas in didactics of science/chemistry.
1 Introduction
After the World War 2, constructivist psychologies of education established—against the
extended idea of attributing new learnings basically to direct contact with phenomena—
that previous experience crucially shapes the learning processes (Agarkar & Brock, 2017;
Özmen, 2004). From the 1960s on, the learning theories of Jean Piaget, Robert M. Gagné,
* Agustín Adúriz-Bravo
aadurizbravo@cefiec.fcen.uba.ar
Davut Sarıtaş
davutsaritas@gmail.com
Hasan Özcan
hozcan@aksaray.edu.tr
1 Department ofMathematics andScience Education, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University,
Nevşehir, Turkey
2 Department ofMathematics andScience Education, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey
3 Instituto CeFIEC, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos
Aires/CONICET, BuenosAires, Argentina
/ Published online: 19 April 2021
Science & Education (2021) 30:1289–1314
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.