Students’ Evaluation of the Credibility of Scientific Models That Represent Natural Entities and Phenomena

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to explore learners' evaluation of the credibility of scientific models that represent natural entities and phenomena. Participants were 845 students in grades 9-11 (aged 15-17 years) and 108 prospective science teachers in Oman, totaling 953 students. A survey called Epistemologies about the Credibility of Scientific Models was designed to explore participants' epistemological positions regarding the credibility of scientific models. This instrument was based on a credibility taxonomy proposed by the author. This taxonomy was composed of four epistemological levels: certainty, imaginary, suspicious, and denial; thus, it was called the CISD taxonomy. Findings revealed that natural entities and phenomena were assigned to CISD levels according to their level of abstractness. This level of abstractness is usually constructed by the most frequently used models to represent each natural entity or phenomenon. For instance, entities, which were usually represented by photographs or micrographs, such as meteors and meteorites, blood cells and bacteria, fell at the certainty level. On the other hand, theoretical entities such as electron cloud and photons had a high suspicious-denial combinational level. Some entities, with possible competing concreteabstract parallel nature of the scientific models that represent them, had both high certainty and suspicious-denial levels. The overall students' epistemological perceptions across grade levels showed a decrease in the certainty level and an increase in the imaginary level. It might also be plausible to conclude that new, detailed microscopic and more abstract knowledge raised the suspicious and denial levels of some entities. Further research based on qualitative research methodologies is needed to explore these findings.

Students' mind wandering in macroscopic and submicroscopic textual narrations and its relationship with their reading comprehension

“…Also, the presence of difficult, new and/ or low frequency words within the text is associated with longer gaze durations and leads to longer total inspection times (Sereno and Rayner, 2003;Smallwood et al, 2008;Foulsham et al, 2013), contributing to a slower reading pace (Foulsham et al, 2013) and worse reading comprehension (Smallwood et al, 2008). They are more abstract (Gericke and Hagberg, 2007;Al-Balushi, 2011, 2013bAl-Balushi and Coll, 2013;Taber, 2013), less frequently encountered by learners than macroscopic description of natural phenomena and they represent more difficult concepts than macroscopic words (Sanger et al, 2013;Kelly, 2014;Milenković et al, 2014;Prilliman, 2014;Ryan and Herrington, 2014;Sjöström and Talanquer, 2014;Warfa et al, 2014). They are more abstract (Gericke and Hagberg, 2007;Al-Balushi, 2011, 2013bAl-Balushi and Coll, 2013;Taber, 2013), less frequently encountered by learners than macroscopic description of natural phenomena and they represent more difficult concepts than macroscopic words (Sanger et al, 2013;Kelly, 2014;Milenković et al, 2014;Prilliman, 2014;Ryan and Herrington, 2014;Sjöström and Talanquer, 2014;Warfa et al, 2014).…”

“…Collectively, the research results discussed above reveal that learners' cognitive processing and conceptualization of entities and phenomena at the macroscopic and submicroscopic levels in chemistry are related to the level of abstractness (Gericke and Hagberg, 2007;Al-Balushi, 2011, 2013bAl-Balushi and Coll, 2013;Taber, 2013), cognitive load (Cranford et al, 2014;Gulacar et al, 2014;Springer, 2014), learners' estimation of size and scale at both levels (Tretter et al, 2006;Jones and Taylor, 2009;Jones et al, 2011) learners' distrust of the existence of scientific entities (Al-Balushi, 2011, 2013b and spatial ability required (Carter et al, 1987;Pribyl and Bodner, 1987;Yang et al, 2003;Wu and Shah, 2004;Wang and Barrow, 2011). Due to the differences between macroscopic and submicroscopic levels, the current study focuses on finding whether mind wandering can be added to the list of these differences (mentioned above) and eventually contributes to our interpretations of students' comprehension.…”

The development of students' justifications for their positions regarding two theoretical models: Electron cloud or sodium chloride crystal—After engaging in different learning activities

“…Theoretical scientific models represent a conceptual hindrance for school students because of their level of abstraction (Snir, Smith, & Raz, ) and hypothetical nature (Al‐Balushi, ; Mathewson, ). It has been reported that a considerable percentage of students from Grade 9 through to university level doubt the accuracy of the scientific representations and visual models that are used to illustrate some highly abstract and theoretical constructs, such as the electron cloud, photons, sodium chloride crystals, and chemical bonding.…”

“…It has been reported that a considerable percentage of students from Grade 9 through to university level doubt the accuracy of the scientific representations and visual models that are used to illustrate some highly abstract and theoretical constructs, such as the electron cloud, photons, sodium chloride crystals, and chemical bonding. Some go further and disbelieve in the existence of these constructs (Al‐Balushi, , ).…”

“…Students are becoming increasingly aware that scientific models are conceptual inventions by scientists (Al‐Balushi, ) that are inspired by their imaginations (Al‐Balushi, ; Harrison & Treagust, ; Mathewson, ). However, research conducted on students' perceptions of scientific models has concluded that their understanding of such models is inadequate (Krell et al, ).…”