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The Role of the Explanatory Key in Solving Tasks Based on Submicroscopic Representations

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Applying Bio-Measurements Methodologies in Science Education Research

Abstract

Since the building blocks of matter—atoms, molecules and ions—cannot be perceived naturally by our senses, the desire to reveal “the world of the invisible” has inspired philosophers and scientists for many centuries. From Plato, or even earlier, to the present day, people have tried to visualise their ideas about the nature of matter by building mental and concrete models (Gregory in Plato’s philosophy of science. Bloomsbury, 2000). The important role of using models and modelling in science discoveries to visualise concepts and processes at the particle level has been manifested since the nineteenth century by many leading chemists such as Kekulé, Van’t Hoff, Pauling, Watson and Crick (Justi & Gilbert in Chemical education: Towards research-based practice. Springer, pp. 47–68, 2002), often related with corresponding Nobel Prizes awards in chemistry, physics and medicine. In contemporary science, new developments related to the use of models and modelling are supported by the application of computer methods and computer graphics.

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Acknowledgements

The reseach work was partialy supported by the Faculty of Education University of Ljubljana, project—framework “Interni razpis za financiranje raziskovalnih in umetniških projektov 2015/16 [Internal call for funding of research and art projects 2015/16]”, project title “Pojasnjevanje uspešnosti reševanja kemijskih nalog na submikro ravni ter preučevanje kompetentnosti bodočih učiteljev kemije za njihovo poučevanje [The efficiency of students in solving chemical tasks at the submicroscopic level and investigating the ability of future teachers to use them in classroom practice]”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, Kardeljeva Ploščad 16, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Vesna Ferk Savec & Špela Hrast

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  1. Vesna Ferk Savec
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  2. Špela Hrast
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Correspondence to Vesna Ferk Savec .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Iztok Devetak

  2. Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Saša Aleksij Glažar

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Ferk Savec, V., Hrast, Š. (2021). The Role of the Explanatory Key in Solving Tasks Based on Submicroscopic Representations. In: Devetak, I., Glažar, S.A. (eds) Applying Bio-Measurements Methodologies in Science Education Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71535-9_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71535-9_4

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-71535-9

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