Ileana María Greca

Mental models, conceptual models, and modelling

The study of mental representations constructed by students in their interactions with the world, its phenomena and artefacts, constitutes an important line of research in science education, according to what has been published in recent issues of the most important journals in the area. In this article we review what is being understood by mental model, conceptual model, and modelling, emphasizing the contributions this line of theory can bring to science education and research.

Does an Emphasis on the Concept of Quantum States Enhance Students' Understanding of Quantum Mechanics?

Teaching physics implies making choices. In the case of teachingquantum physics, besides an educational choice – the didactic strategy – another choice mustbe made, an epistemological one, concerning the interpretation of quantum theory itself. Thesetwo choices are closely connected. We have chosen a didactic strategy that privileges the phenomenological-conceptualapproach, with emphasis upon quantum features of the systems, instead of searching for classicalanalogies. This choice has led us to present quantum theory associated with an orthodox, yet realistic,interpretation of the concept of quantum state, considered as the key concept of quantum theory,representing the physical reality of a system, independent of measurement processes. The results of theimplementation of this strategy, with three groups of engineering students, showed that more than a halfof them attained a reasonable understanding of the basics of quantum mechanics (QM) for thislevel. In addition, a high degree of satisfaction was attained with the classes as 80% of thestudents of the experimental groups claimed to have liked it and to be interested in learning more about QM.

Teaching introductory quantum physics and chemistry: caveats from the history of science and science teaching to the training of modern chemists

Finding the best ways to introduce quantum physics to undergraduate students in all scientific areas, in particular for chemistry students, is a pressing, but hardly a simple task. In this paper, we discuss the relevance of taking into account lessons from the history of the discipline and the ongoing controversy over its interpretations and foundations in the search for new ways of improving the teaching of quantum physics. We also review and discuss the recent research in science education literature that proposes new ways of introducing quantum mechanics for undergraduate students. From these discussions, we suggest some possibilities – the inclusion of philosophical interpretations and their defense; the emphasis on strictly quantum features of the systems; an emphasis on formalism, without worrying about the ultimate ontological status of mathematics; the incorporation of quantum mechanics applications into real problems; and the need to introduce complementarity when using images – which can be taken into account when devising more effective ways of teaching introductory quantum mechanics for chemistry students.

Meeting the Challenge: Quantum Physics in Introductory Physics Courses

Teaching quantum theory is a legendary difficult task, not only due to its weirdness, but also because it is philosophically sensitive. Examples from the history and philosophy of science show that one of the main challenges is to find a balanced approach between introducing the most basic quantum concepts while taking into account interpretational issues. Although there is no privileged interpretation for QT, teaching and research about QT must make the interpretational choice used explicit. In addition any introductory course should emphasize the strictly quantum features in order to prevent students from establishing undesirable links with classical concepts. While teaching focused on the mathematical formalism remains a choice, pictures may be exploited, but in this case complementarity should be explicitly and carefully introduced. Finally, we argue that the teaching of QT, maybe more than other areas in physics, must be informed by the history and philosophy of science.

Metodologias de pesquisa no ensino de ciências na América Latina: como pesquisamos na década de 2000

In this article we present the results of a research about the research methods used in science education in Latin America during 2000-2009, as shown by the articles published in renowned Latin-American journals. We also discuss different aspects that may be useful for improving the quality of the research in science education.

Supporting pre-service elementary teachers in their understanding of inquiry teaching through the construction of a third discursive space

ABSTRACT Several international reports promote the use of the inquiry teaching methodology for improvements in science education at elementary school. Nevertheless, research indicates that pre-service elementary teachers have insufficient experience with this methodology and when they try to implement it, the theory they learnt in their university education clashes with the classroom practice they observe, a problem that has also been noted with other innovative methodologies. So, it appears essential for pre-service teachers to conduct supportive reflective practice during their education to integrate theory and practice, which various studies suggest is not usually done. Our study shows how opening up a third discursive space can assist this supportive reflective practice. The third discursive space appears when pre-service teachers are involved in specific activities that allow them to contrast the discourses of theoretical knowledge taught at university with practical knowledge arising from their ideas on science and science teaching and their observations during classroom practice. The case study of three pre-service teachers shows that this strategy was fundamental in helping them to integrate theory and practice, resulting in a better understanding of the inquiry methodology and its application in the classroom.

Informação e teoria quântica

Research in quantum information suggests a close connection between information and quantum theory. The aim of this article is to analyze nuances involved in this connection. Scientists in this field are divided into two overlapping camps. Some are motivated only by the use of quantum features to improve information processing, in spite of concerns about the foundations of the quantum theory, while others recognize deep conceptual problems of this theory, and attempt to solve them. This article has modest ambitions. It aims only to chart, by way of historical and conceptual analysis, the diverse possibilities available, indicating the strengths and weaknesses of each of them.

Epistemological Debate Underlying Computer Simulations Used in Science Teaching: The Designers’ Perspective

Many research areas widely use computer simulations, and their role in the production of scientific knowledge is nowadays the subject of debate in philosophy of science. This work presents the results of a phenomenographic case study involving three researchers who design and use computer simulations in physics. The study analyzes these designers’ views on simulations and the role of simulations in physics teaching. The results show that they agree on the fact that computer simulations have changed the way we do science and that they share many characteristics with the classical models: they derive from theories, they help to predict and explain phenomena, and their results need to be empirically validated. They consider simulations used in science teaching – that differ from those used in research in their objectives and in their design – to be useful as they allow students to visualize and work on a phenomenon from the viewpoint of the mathematical model, the physical, and the virtual one in an interrelated way. In general, the designers’ views on simulations and their use in science and education were more complex and meaningful than those conveyed by novice researchers in science teaching or found in research articles on secondary education that look at the same subject.

The Influence of Epistemic ViewsEpistemic views About the Relationship Between Physics and Mathematics in Understanding Physics Concepts and Problem Solving

From all the difficulties students have while trying to understand physics , the ones with mathematics are of the more remarkable, at least for physics teachers. Although the problem is explicit, its solution becomes complex due to the lack of clarity about the characteristics of the relationship between maths and physics. If for the teacher these relationships are unclear, it is probable that their students will not realize their character and assume a naive attitude, believing that knowing the equation and how to resolve it will result in success in solving physics problems, forgetting the conceptual part. We investigated how these relationships were perceived by two consecutive groups of undergraduate students in a physics degree that educate high school physics teachers and how this way of understanding is reflected in their conceptual learning and their attitudes when they are asked to resolve problems of thermodynamics. We will discuss how their perceptions would influence their teaching in middle school.