Models of the Universe: Children’s Experiences and Evidence from the History of Science

Abstract

This study focuses on children's experiences and the creation of ''the big picture'', the Universe. It draws data from an age range 6À16 and is based on 270 children's drawings of how they imagine the Universe to be, and on their answers to a number of short questions about it. Results are discussed using as a base a specially developed systemic network, which is considered to be a formulation broad enough to cover the different ways of experiencing the Universe. The categories of descriptions which have been developed are exemplified by children's characteristic drawings, and analogies with historical conceptions are discussed. They have also been tested with groups of teachers' and studentÀteachers' descriptions. Moreover, dominant images held during the history of Science, have been explored in terms of their relevance to the categories of the systemic network. It appears that, although there is no analogical evolution of the ideas between these two fields, some historical instances resemble some of the children's models.

Manipulating Models and Grasping the Ideas They Represent

“…Examples of research looking at students' mental models drawing on the historical perspective include the report by Spiliotopoulou-Papantoniou (2006) on pupils' drawings Manipulating Models and Grasping the Ideas They Represent 49…”

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“…In 1th grade, introducing with Earth and Sun concepts within Knowledge of Life lesson can be seen as the reason of these differences. Also, in 2th graders' drawings showed that their understandings of space are limited with the concepts they see in their daily life (Spiliotopoulou-Papantoniou, 2007). 3th and 4th graders' mental models related to space concept indicated that their space perceptions in their minds have abstract concepts such as emptiness, eternity, darkness and gravity.…”

Modeling and the Future of Science Learning

“…Finally, Prins et al (2009) observe that teaching students about modeling works best when the modeling used is "authentic." By this they mean that it involves relevant examples drawn from the students' worldviews and experiences (see also Halloun, 2007;Shepardson et al, 2007;Spiliotopoulou-Papantoniou, 2007;Wu, 2010). The idea is that once students understand modeling per se, they then are better able to understand how scientists use models and modeling in scientific enquiry (Wu, 2010), developing what is referred to in the literature as scientific habits of mind (Coll, Taylor, & Lay, 2009;Gauld, 2005).…”