DOCSLIB.ORG

Designing Context-Based Teaching Materials by Transforming Authentic Scientific Modelling Practices in Chemistry

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Designing Context-Based Teaching Materials by Transforming Authentic Scientific Modelling Practices in Chemistry International Journal of Science Education ISSN: 0950-0693 (Print) 1464-5289 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tsed20 Designing context-based teaching materials by transforming authentic scientific modelling practices in chemistry Gjalt T. Prins, Astrid M.W. Bulte & Albert Pilot To cite this article: Gjalt T. Prins, Astrid M.W. Bulte & Albert Pilot (2018) Designing context-based teaching materials by transforming authentic scientific modelling practices in chemistry, International Journal of Science Education, 40:10, 1108-1135, DOI: 10.1080/09500693.2018.1470347 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2018.1470347 © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group Published online: 15 May 2018. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 378 View Crossmark data Citing articles: 1 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=tsed20 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION 2018, VOL. 40, NO. 10, 1108–1135 https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2018.1470347 Designing context-based teaching materials by transforming authentic scientific modelling practices in chemistry Gjalt T. Prins , Astrid M.W. Bulte and Albert Pilot Freudenthal Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY One of the challenges of context-based science education is to Received 18 April 2018 construct high quality teaching materials. This paper presents Accepted 24 April 2018 results from a study investigating the heuristic value of an activity- KEYWORDS based instructional framework for transformation of authentic Context-based learning; scientific practices for use in the science classroom, in line with learning activities; cultural cultural historic activity theory (CHAT). The activity-based historical activity theory instructional framework was used to transform the authentic (CHAT) practice of Modelling Human Exposure and Uptake of Chemicals in Consumer Products into a curriculum unit. The transformation was conducted by experienced chemistry teachers well informed about CHAT. The heuristic value was judged on criteria completeness, instructiveness and appreciation. Collected data are designed curriculum materials and a focus group interview. Analysis of the designed curriculum materials indicated that the framework was highly complete and instructive, except for evoking reflection in students. Most important, the framework proved successful in operationalising CHAT into concrete guidelines for educational design. Additionally, the results show that the instructional framework is highly appreciated by the users. Further development of such instructional frameworks is important, since it fosters the construction of high quality context-based curriculum materials. Introduction Increasingly, contexts are being introduced in science curricula in many countries across the world (George & Lubben, 2002; Pilot & Bulte, 2006; Smith, 2011). The central feature of context-based learning environments is the use of realistic contexts as starting point and anchor for learning science, thereby giving significance and meaning to the science- content (Aikenhead, 1994; Bennett, Lubben, & Hogarth, 2007), as well as offering students to become engaged in scientific thinking and practice (Schwartz, Lederman, & Crawford, 2004). However, the success of context-based education is heavily dependent on the quality of the curriculum materials and implementation in classroom. In the special issue on context-based education, Pilot and Bulte (2006) described a number of hindering and fostering factors which are summarised in three categories: CONTACT Gjalt T. Prins [email protected] Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC Utrecht (De Uithof) © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION 1109 . The nature of the design and developmental process, including the cyclic nature of the design and developmental process, the influence of the attitude of teachers as a key factor for success or failure of the innovation and the use of the collected data in the cyclic developmental process; . Key characteristics of the course-design framework, including the quality of the frame- works for context-based chemistry education and the robustness of the design in the formal curriculum; . Conditional circumstances during the development, including the assessment of learn- ing results, requirements from stakeholders in further education and the quality of the team of developers within a systemic organisation. This paper will zoom in on the second category, i.e. the key characteristics of a course- design framework from the perspective of experienced chemistry teachers as designers of context-based curriculum materials. Vos, Taconis, Jochems, and Pilot (2010) studied how beginning and proficient teachers when confronted with context-based materials, failed or succeeded in actually creating context-based learning environments. They argue that for experienced science teachers besides concrete and direct instruction in using the materials, teachers are also required to have knowledge of the rationale behind the materials, and should have the skills necessary to actually create a context-based learning environment while using the materials. However, in many cases teachers do not have access to the resources and information that they need to make pedagogical decisions that reflect the goals and rationale underlying a reform of a curriculum (Loucks-Horsley, Love, Hewson, Stiles, & Mundry, 2003). A course-design framework is intended to bridge the rationale and pedagogical orientation of curriculum reform and the learning environment. Course-design frameworks, also denoted as instructional frameworks, are intended to provide guidelines of the construction of teaching materials, thereby also providing a base for evaluating classroom enactments of designed education. Within the context-based innovation several instructional frameworks have been described and utilised. The Chemistry in Context innovation (Schwartz, 2006) presents a framework in terms of the spider-web metaphor; the information and activities that intro- duce each chapter, student decision-making activities, questions, and tasks; laboratory work; assessments, etc. This pattern of elements constitutes the backbone of teaching and learning. In the Salters Advanced Chemistry project (Bennett & Lubben, 2006), the need-to-know principle has been elaborated in the characteristic three course components: Storylines, Chemical Ideas and the Activity Folder. Each unit is driven by the Storyline. From this, stu- dents are referred to the Activity Folder and Chemical Ideas, which forms the backbone of the students’ mental maps of chemical knowledge through a ‘drip-feed’ approach (spiral cur- riculum). The context-base chemistry innovation in Germany, denoted ‘Chemie im Kontext’, explicitly prescribes a four-phase framework that is used as a guideline for the development of exemplar units (Parchmann et al., 2006). The four phases, i.e. a contact phase, a curiosity phase, an elaboration phase and a phase of deepening and connection, contain essential aspects derived from instructional theories and theories about motivation. In the Industrial Chemistry (Hofstein & Kesner, 2006) movement a pattern is used that is characteristic for all elaborations of the programme: varied-type learning methods and class- room environments (lab, excursion, computer, classroom), and diversity of resources, among others a collection of enrichment materials. In short, all above context-based 1110 G.T.PRINSETAL. innovations consider instructional frameworks important instruments in the curriculum reform process. Nevertheless, there is no in-depth empirical information available about the interaction between teachers and instructional frameworks in the construction of curri- culum materials, or about the extent to which such instructional frameworks guide and facilitate the design activities of teachers (Edelson, 2001). In previous research studies, the authors of this paper developed and used an activity- based instructional framework for the design of curriculum units (Prins, Bulte, & Pilot, 2016), founded on the cultural historic activity theory (CHAT) (Leont’ev, 1978; Vygotsky, 1978). This framework aims to support educational designers in transforming authentic science practices into contexts for learning. We envision the activity-based instructional framework as a cognitive tool to support the educational designer to understand, remem- ber, and address important components of CHAT while developing teaching materials and planning learning activities for students to conduct. The goal of this paper is to investigate the heuristic value of the activity-based instructional framework on criteria completeness, instructiveness and acceptance. Six chemistry teachers, well informed about CHAT, trans- formed the authentic practice of ‘modelling human exposure and uptake of chemicals in consumer products’ into a curriculum unit for use in
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Science-Based Target Setting Manual Version 4.1 | April 2020
    Science-Based Target Setting Manual Version 4.1 | April 2020 Table of contents Table of contents 2 Executive summary 3 Key findings 3 Context 3 About this report 4 Key issues in setting SBTs 5 Conclusions and recommendations 5 1. Introduction 7 2. Understand the business case for science-based targets 12 3. Science-based target setting methods 18 3.1 Available methods and their applicability to different sectors 18 3.2 Recommendations on choosing an SBT method 25 3.3 Pros and cons of different types of targets 25 4. Set a science-based target: key considerations for all emissions scopes 29 4.1 Cross-cutting considerations 29 5. Set a science-based target: scope 1 and 2 sources 33 5.1 General considerations 33 6. Set a science-based target: scope 3 sources 36 6.1 Conduct a scope 3 Inventory 37 6.2 Identify which scope 3 categories should be included in the target boundary 40 6.3 Determine whether to set a single target or multiple targets 42 6.4 Identify an appropriate type of target 44 7. Building internal support for science-based targets 47 7.1 Get all levels of the company on board 47 7.2 Address challenges and push-back 49 8. Communicating and tracking progress 51 8.1 Publicly communicating SBTs and performance progress 51 8.2 Recalculating targets 56 Key terms 57 List of abbreviations 59 References 60 Acknowledgments 63 About the partner organizations in the Science Based Targets initiative 64 Science-Based Target Setting Manual Version 4.1 -2- Executive summary Key findings ● Companies can play their part in combating climate change by setting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets that are aligned with reduction pathways for limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C or well-below 2°C compared to pre-industrial temperatures.
    [Show full text]
  • Semantic Foundation of Diagrammatic Modelling Languages
    Universität Leipzig Fakultät für Mathematik und Informatik Institut für Informatik Johannisgasse 26 04103 Leipzig Semantic Foundation of Diagrammatic Modelling Languages Applying the Pictorial Turn to Conceptual Modelling Diplomarbeit im Studienfach Informatik vorgelegt von cand. inf. Alexander Heußner Leipzig, August 2007 betreuender Hochschullehrer: Prof. Dr. habil. Heinrich Herre Institut für Medizininformatik, Statistik und Epidemologie (I) Härtelstrasse 16–18 04107 Leipzig Abstract The following thesis investigates the applicability of the picto- rial turn to diagrammatic conceptual modelling languages. At its heart lies the question how the “semantic gap” between the for- mal semantics of diagrams and the meaning as intended by the modelling engineer can be bridged. To this end, a pragmatic ap- proach to the domain of diagrams will be followed, starting from pictures as the more general notion. The thesis consists of three parts: In part I, a basic model of cognition will be proposed that is based on the idea of conceptual spaces. Moreover, the most central no- tions of semiotics and semantics as required for the later inves- tigation and formalization of conceptual modelling will be intro- duced. This will allow for the formalization of pictures as semi- otic entities that have a strong cognitive foundation. Part II will try to approach diagrams with the help of a novel game-based F technique. A prototypical modelling attempt will reveal basic shortcomings regarding the underlying formal foundation. It will even become clear that these problems are common to all current conceptualizations of the diagram domain. To circumvent these difficulties, a simple axiomatic model will be proposed that allows to link the findings of part I on conceptual modelling and formal languages with the newly developed con- cept of «abstract logical diagrams».
    [Show full text]
  • Coronavirus Control Plan: Revised Alert Levels in Wales (March 2021) Coronavirus Control Plan: Revised Alert Levels in Wales 2
    Coronavirus Control Plan: Revised Alert Levels in Wales (March 2021) Coronavirus Control Plan: Revised Alert Levels in Wales 2 Ministerial Foreword The coronavirus pandemic has turned all our lives upside down. Over the last 12 months, everyone in Wales has made sacrifices to help protect themselves and their families and help bring coronavirus under control. This is a cruel virus – far too many families have lost loved ones, and unfortunately, we know that many more people will fall seriously ill and sadly will die before the pandemic is over. But the way people and communities have pulled together across Wales, and followed the rules, has undoubtedly saved many more lives. We are now entering a critical phase in the pandemic. We can see light at the end of the tunnel as we approach the end of a long and hard second wave, thanks to the incredible efforts of scientists and researchers across the world to develop effective vaccines. Our amazing vaccination programme has made vaccines available to people in the most at-risk groups at incredible speed. But just as we are rolling out vaccination, we are facing a very different virus in Wales today. The highly-infectious variant, first identified in Kent, is now dominant in all parts of Wales. This means the protective behaviours we have all learned to adopt are even more important than ever – getting tested and isolating when we have symptoms; keeping our distance from others; not mixing indoors; avoiding crowds; washing our hands regularly and wearing face coverings in places we cannot avoid being in close proximity with each other.
    [Show full text]
  • System for Electrochemical Analysis and Visualization
    An Object Orïented Infrastructure for the Development of a Computer Modeling System for Electrochemical Analysis and Visualization by Eric Marcuzzi A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research through the School of Computer Science in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirernents for the Degree of Master of Science at the Univers@ of Windsor Windsor, Ontario, Canada 1997 National Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services senrices bibliographiques 395 WelliStreet 395. rue Wellmgton OttayiliaON K1A ON4 OttawON K1AW carlada canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loaq distriiute or sell reproduire, prêter, distncbuer ou copies of this thesis in microfonn, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor subsîantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. O Eric Marcuzzi 1997 ABSTRACT In this thesis a partial system design and implementation for a computer modelhg system, the VPMS (Vimial Proto-ping, Modelling and Simulation) system. which supports exteiisibility, reusability, distributivity and openness, is presented. This system identifies and cornpartmentahes modelling system functionaliry, such as numerical modelling and scientific visualization.
    [Show full text]
  • Models: Bringing Real-World Phenomena to School
    BACK TO SCHOOL 2020 Models: Bringing Real-World Phenomena to School Whether learning in a physical or virtual classroom, using models helps students understand real-world phenomena— like COVID-19—and solve problems related to phenomena. hanks in large part to the power of model-based science, we are in a far better place than any generation “Tbefore us to deal successfully and efficiently with a pandemic of this scale.” That statement about the COVID-19 pandemic is from Rachael L. Brown, director of the Centre for Philosophy of the Sciences, Australian National University (Brown 2020). It highlights the value of scientific modeling in making complex issues that impact the world easier to understand— to define, quantify, and visualize. Modeling is a key process for both scientists and engineers. Models represent a system (or parts of a system) and its interactions—such as inputs, processes, and outputs—and can be modified or refined with new evidence or new test results. • Scientists use models to help develop questions and explanations, generate data that can be used to make predictions, and communicate ideas to others (NSTA 2014). • Engineers use models to help analyze a system to see where or under what conditions flaws might develop or to test possible solutions to a program (NSTA 2014). Carolina Biological Supply Company A meteorologist gathers data at an observation station. For example, an epidemiology-driven machine- in activities—including creating models—they learning model is just one of the models are better equipped to share their knowledge, developed to predict the spread of COVID-19 engineer solutions to problems that arise from (UCLA Samueli Newsroom 2020).
    [Show full text]
  • THE ROLE of CARTOGRAPHY in DESIGNING a GLOBAL SAMPLING FRAMEWORK for Envmonmental MONITORING
    ORAL PRESENTATION 314 THE ROLE OF CARTOGRAPHY IN DESIGNING A GLOBAL SAMPLING FRAMEWORK FOR ENVmONMENTAL MONITORING A. Jon Kimerling Denis White Department Of Geosciences Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331 USA Abstract Environmental monitoring and assessment is becoming a global activity as our concern with and understanding of global scale environmental issues increases. Additionally, international economic agreements such as GATT and NAFTA now include environmental compliance regulations. Scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and similar organizations in other countries are now asking cartographers and GIS experts if there exist global geographical data structures that will allow optimal implementation of survey sample designs, modeling of environmental processes, analyses of sampling and related data, and display of results. In this paper we examine the role that cartographers in the' United States have played in the development of global grid sampling frameworks for environmental monitoring and analysis, an EPA sponsored activity .. First and foremost, cartographers have played a lead role in devising ways to define a set of regularly arranged sampling points covering the entire earth. The problem is to approximate as closely as possible a regularly spaced sampling grid. This is because not more than 12 points, the vertices of an icosahedron projected onto a sphere, can be placed on the earth equidistantly. One approach has been to model the earth as a polyhedral globe, with each face of the polyhedron being a map projection surface that optimizes the generation of a large set of approximately reguhirly spaced sampling points. Equal area and other projections have been developed for the faces of the octahedron and icosahedron.
    [Show full text]
  • Environments of Intelligence
    Environments of Intelligence “An absorbing volume that integrates an extraordinarily wide area of work, with interesting observations and new twists right to the end.” Ruth Millikan, University of Connecticut, USA What is the role of the environment, and of the information it provides, in cognition? More specifically, may there be a role for certain artefacts to play in this context? These are questions that motivate “4E” theories of cognition (as being embodied, embedded, extended, enactive). In his take on that family of views, Hajo Greif first defends and refines a concept of information as primarily natural, environmen- tally embedded in character, which had been eclipsed by information-processing views of cognition. He continues with an inquiry into the cognitive bearing of some artefacts that are sometimes referred to as “intelligent environments”. With- out necessarily having much to do with Artificial Intelligence, such artefacts may ultimately modify our informational environments. With respect to human cognition, the most notable effect of digital computers is not that they might be able, or become able, to think but that they alter the way we perceive, think and act. Hajo Greif teaches at the Munich Center for Technology in Society (MCTS), Technical University of Munich, Germany, and the Department of Philosophy, University of Klagenfurt, Austria. His research interests cover the philosophy – and some of the history and the social studies – of science and technology, as well as the philosophy of mind. History and Philosophy of Technoscience Series Editor: Alfred Nordmann For a full list of titles in this series, please visit www.routledge.com 1 Error and Uncertainty in Scientific Practice Marcel Boumans, Giora Hon and Arthur C.
    [Show full text]
  • Spatial Analysis, Modelling and Planning
    Edited by Jorge Rocha and José António Tenedório Spatial Analysis, Modelling and Planning New powerful technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), have been evolving and are quickly becoming part of a worldwide emergent digital infrastructure. Spatial analysis is becoming more important than ever because enormous volumes of Spatial Analysis, spatial data are available from different sources, such as social media and mobile phones. When locational information is provided, spatial analysis researchers can use it to calculate statistical and mathematical relationships through time and space. Modelling and Planning This book aims to demonstrate how computer methods of spatial analysis and modeling, integrated in a GIS environment, can be used to better understand reality and give rise to more informed and, thus, improved planning. It provides a comprehensive discussion of Edited by Jorge Rocha and José António Tenedório spatial analysis, methods, and approaches related to planning. ISBN 978-1-78984-239-5 Published in London, UK © 2018 IntechOpen © eugenesergeev / iStock SPATIAL ANALYSIS, MODELLING AND PLANNING Edited by Jorge Rocha and José António Tenedório SPATIAL ANALYSIS, MODELLING AND PLANNING Edited by Jorge Rocha and José António Tenedório Spatial Analysis, Modelling and Planning http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.74452 Edited by Jorge Rocha and José António Tenedório Contributors Ana Cristina Gonçalves, Adélia Sousa, Lenwood Hall, Ronald Anderson, Khalid Al-Ahmadi, Andreas Rienow, Frank Thonfeld, Nora Schneevoigt, Diego Montenegro, Ana Da Cunha, Ingrid Machado, Lili Duraes, Stefan Vilges De Oliveira, Marcel Pedroso, Gilberto Gazêta, Reginaldo Brazil, Brooks C Pearson, Brian Ways, Valentina Svalova, Andreas Koch, Hélder Lopes, Paula Remoaldo, Vítor Ribeiro, Toshiaki Ichinose, Norman Schofield, Fred Bidandi, John James Williams, Jorge Rocha, José António Tenedório © The Editor(s) and the Author(s) 2018 The rights of the editor(s) and the author(s) have been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
    [Show full text]
  • Modeling As Scientific Reasoning—The Role of Abductive
    education sciences Article Modeling as Scientific Reasoning—The Role of Abductive Reasoning for Modeling Competence Annette Upmeier zu Belzen 1,* , Paul Engelschalt 1 and Dirk Krüger 2 1 Biology Education, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany; [email protected] 2 Biology Education, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: While the hypothetico-deductive approach, which includes inductive and deductive rea- soning, is largely recognized in scientific reasoning, there is not much focus on abductive reasoning. Abductive reasoning describes the theory-based attempt of explaining a phenomenon by a cause. By integrating abductive reasoning into a framework for modeling competence, we strengthen the idea of modeling being a key practice of science. The framework for modeling competence theoret- ically describes competence levels structuring the modeling process into model construction and model application. The aim of this theoretical paper is to extend the framework for modeling com- petence by including abductive reasoning, with impact on the whole modeling process. Abductive reasoning can be understood as knowledge expanding in the process of model construction. In com- bination with deductive reasoning in model application, such inferences might enrich modeling processes. Abductive reasoning to explain a phenomenon from the best fitting guess is important for model construction and may foster the deduction of hypotheses from the model and further testing them empirically. Recent studies and examples of learners’ performance in modeling processes support abductive reasoning being a part of modeling competence within scientific reasoning. The ex- Citation: Upmeier zu Belzen, A.; tended framework can be used for teaching and learning to foster scientific reasoning competences Engelschalt, P.; Krüger, D.
    [Show full text]
  • Towards Crustal Reservoir Flow Structure Modelling Through Interactive 3D Visualization of Meq & Mt Field Data
    TOWARDS CRUSTAL RESERVOIR FLOW STRUCTURE MODELLING THROUGH INTERACTIVE 3D VISUALIZATION OF MEQ & MT FIELD DATA John Rugis1, Peter Leary1, Marcos Alvarez1 , Eylon Shalev1 and Peter Malin1 1 Institute of Earth Science and Engineering, University of Auckland, New Zealand [email protected] Keywords: 3D visualization, scientific data visualization, distributions of fracture density fluctuations based on a data modelling, magnetotelluric data, microseismic data, generic geothermal low resistivity plume (Section 6). reservoir flow structure. 1. INTRODUCTION ABSTRACT Fluid flow in fractured rock is generally understood to be a We seek to use modern 3D graphics visualization to enable basic feature of geothermal systems. The observational and human visual pattern recognition to assess reservoir intellectual tools to manage flow in geothermal reservoirs structures manifested by in situ fracture systems. In situ are, however, ill-suited to the fundamental spatial flow structures of crustal reservoirs have hitherto been complexity of fracture-borne fluid flow. largely assumed to be tied to specific formations and essentially uniform within a given formation. However, Existing geothermal reservoir observations and concepts are neither working assumption has been particularly successful typically fit to earth models comprising a small range of in guiding the drill bit to new active portions of a given geologically identified formations that are assumed to have geothermal field. A greater degree of in situ spatial flow essentially uniform physical properties. Non-uniformity in complexity is hypothesized, and that complexity is almost physical properties is for the most part limited to an certainly due to fracture-system control of reservoir fluid assortment of mechanically discontinuous fault structures pathways.
    [Show full text]
  • Evidence and Policy Summer School 2018 Programme
    1 This s a publication by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Commission’s science and knowledge service. It aims to provide evidence-based scientific support to the European policymaking process. The scientific output expressed does not imply a policy position of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use that might be made of this publication. For information on the methodology and quality underlying the data used in this publication for which the source is neither Eurostat nor other Commission services, users should contact the referenced source. The designations employed and the presentation of material on the maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Union concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. EU Science Hub https://ec.europa.eu/jrc Ispra: European Commission, 2019 © European Union, 2019 The reuse policy of the European Commission is implemented by the Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39). Except otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This means that reuse is allowed provided appropriate credit is given and any changes are indicated. For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not owned by the EU, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders.
    [Show full text]
  • Physical Models and Embodied Cognition
    Synthese https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-018-01927-7 Physical models and embodied cognition Ulrich E. Stegmann1 Received: 23 March 2018 / Accepted: 31 August 2018 © The Author(s) 2018 Abstract Philosophers have recently paid more attention to the physical aspects of scientific models. The attention is motivated by the prospect that a model’s physical features strongly affect its use and that this suggests re-thinking modelling in terms of extended or distributed cognition. This paper investigates two ways in which physical features of scientific models affect their use and it asks whether modelling is an instance of extended cognition. I approach these topics with a historical case study, in which scientists kept records not only of their findings, but also of some the mental operations that generated the findings. The case study shows how scientists can employ a physical model (in this case diagrams on paper) as an external information store, which allows alternating between mental manipulations, recording the outcome externally, and then feeding the outcome back into subsequent mental manipulations. The case study also demonstrates that a models’ physical nature allows replacing explicit reasoning with visuospatial manipulations. I argue, furthermore, that physical modelling does not need to exemplify a strong kind of extended cognition, the sort for which external features are mereological parts of cognition. It can exemplify a weaker kind, instead. Keywords Task decomposition · Visuospatial reasoning · Mental rotation · Crick · Gamow · Protein synthesis Recent work on scientific models has emphasised their material nature (e.g. Giere 2002; Knuuttila 2011; Kuorikoski and Ylikoski 2015). Even abstract models are said to be physical insofar as the notation systems used to explore them involve physical marks, e.g.
    [Show full text]