Abstract
Students often experience that it is difficult to relate (sub)microscopic models to macroscopic phenomena. In line with the works of Millar, and Besson and Viennot, we have explored how to break up this ‘huge’ gap into smaller steps with intermediate ‘meso’-structures that become manifest when using a lens, a microscope, an electron scanning microscope and so on to investigate the nature of materials. Different types of structures such as weaving patterns, a thread, smaller filaments within threads, amorphous and crystalline structures come into focus. Not only the submicroscopic structures, such as molecules and atoms, and their ordering are of importance for the properties of materials and substances, the structures at the ‘intermediate’ meso-levels are related to emergent properties. Based on our experiences how students deal with the learning of intermediate meso-structures within chemistry lessons in secondary education, we present and illustrate the following strategies for designing new curriculum units: (1) conceive a material as system of subsystems on meso- and submicro-levels; (2) use intuitive notions that a property can be explained/predicted by structures within the material; (3) use intuitive notions about ‘structure’ and ‘property’; (4) use explicit scaling of structures; (5) use explicit terminology in modelling and metaphors; (6) use subsequent analogous examples; and (7) use interdisciplinary examples. In this chapter, we show how these strategies are integrated within two units which were used within a recent context-based chemistry curriculum for secondary education in the Netherlands: a unit about inorganic materials and a unit on the development of fire-resistant materials.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aguilera, J. M. (2006). Food product engineering: Building the right structures. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 86, 1147–1155.
Apotheker, J., Bulte, A., De Kleijn, E., Van Koten, G., Meinema, H., & Seller, F. (2010). Scheikunde in de dynamiek van de toekomst, over de ontwikkeling van scheikunde in de school van de 21 e eeuw. Eindrapport van de Stuurgroep nieuwe Scheikunde 2004–2010 [Chemistry in a dynamic future, about the development of school chemistry in the 21st century. Final report New Chemistry 2004–2010]. Enschede: SLO.
Arievitch, I. M., & Haenen, J. J. (2005). Connecting socio cultural theory and educational practice: Galperin’s approach. Educational Psychologist, 40(3), 155–165.
Ausubel, D. P. (1968). Educational psychology: A cognitive view. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Besson, U., & Viennot, L. (2004). Using models at the mesoscopic scale in teaching physics: Two experimental interventions in solid friction and fluid statics. International Journal of Science Education, 26(9), 1083–1110.
Bulte, A. M. W., & Van Mil, M. H. W. (2011). About parts and wholes in chemical and biological systems: reasoning, modeling and visualization strategies to connect macro and micro in chemistry and biology education. In Symposium organised at the ESERA conference, Lyon.
Bulte, A. M. W., Houben, L., Meijer, M. R., & Pilot, A. (2008a). Wat een kunst …, nieuwe materialen, sterk, dicht en licht, leerlingentekst [What an art …, new materials, high strength, dense and light weighted; students’ material]. Experimental module for curriculum development in the Netherlands. Retrieved July 2010, from www.examenexperiment.nl
Bulte, A. M. W., Meijer, M. R., & Pilot, A. (2008b). Module 2: ‘Reddende luiers bij brand, een toevallige uitvinding duurzaam maken’ Versie 3.1. leerlingentekst, bronnenmateriaal en docentenhandleiding [Diapers and fires, making an invention sustainable, students’ materials and teachers’ manual]. Utrecht: Freudenthal Institute for Science and Mathematics Education & SLO, Universiteit Utrecht.
Chi, M. T. H. (2005). Common sense conceptions of emergent processes: Why some misconceptions are robust. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 14(2), 161–199.
Craver, C. F. (2001). Role functions, mechanisms and hierarchy. Philosophy of Science, 68(1), 53–74.
Cussler, E. L., & Moggridge, G. D. (2001). Chemical product design. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Davidov, V. V. (1990). The concept of theoretical generalization and problems of educational psychology. Studies in Soviet Thought, 36, 169–202.
Davidson, D. (2001). Inquiries into truth and interpretation. Oxford: Clarendon.
Dolfing, R., Bulte, A. M. W., Pilot, A., & Vermunt, J. D. (2012). Domain-specific expertise of chemistry teachers on context-based education about macro-micro thinking in structure-property relations, accepted for publication. Research in Science Education, 42(3), 567–588. doi:10.1007/s11165-011-9211-z.
Framework. (2011). Committee on conceptual framework for the new K-12 science education standards, National Research Council. Retrieved at September 20, 2011, from http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13165
Gani, R. (2004). Chemical product design: Challenges and opportunities. Computer and Chemical Engineering, 28, 2441–2457.
Gentner, D., & Wolff, P. (2000). Metaphor and knowledge change. In E. Diettrich & A. Markamn (Eds.), Cognitive dynamics: Conceptual change in human and machines (pp. 295–342). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Gilbert, J. K. (2006). On the nature of ‘context’ in chemical education. International Journal of Science Education, 28(9), 957–976.
Gilbert, J. K., & Treagust, D. F. (2009). Introduction: Macro, submicro and symbolic representations and the relationship between them: Key models in chemistry education. In J. K. Gilbert & D. F. Treagust (Eds.), Multiple representations in chemical education (Model and modeling in chemical education, Vol. 4, pp. 1–8). Dordrecht: Springer.
Gilbert, J. K., Bulte, A. M. W., & Pilot, A. (2011). Concept development and transfer in context-based science education. International Journal of Science Education, 33(6), 817–837. doi:10.1080/09500693.2010.493185.
Harré, R., & Madden, E. H. (1975). Causal powers, a theory of natural necessity. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Hill, M. (2004). Product and process design for structured products. AICHE Journal, 50(8), 1656–1661.
Jones, M. G., & Taylor, A. R. (2009). Developing a sense of scale: Looking backward. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(4), 460–475.
Kitagawa, T., Murase, H., & Yabuki, K. (1998). Morphological study on Poly-p-phenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO) fiber. Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 36, 39–48.
Luisi, P. L. (2002). Emergence in chemistry: Chemistry as the embodiment of emergence. Foundations of Chemistry, 4, 183–200.
Meijer, M. R. (2011). Macro-meso-micro thinking with structure-property relations for chemistry education – An explorative design-based study. Ph.D. thesis, Freudenthal Institute for Science and Mathematics Education, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, FIsme Scientific Library (formerly published as CD-β Scientific Library), Utrecht, nr 65.
Meijer, M. R., Bulte, A. M. W., & Pilot, A. (2009). Structure-property relations between macro and micro representations: Relevant meso levels in authentic tasks. In J. K. Gilbert & D. F. Treagust (Eds.), Multiple representations in chemical education (Model and modeling in chemical education, Vol. 4, pp. 195–213). Dordrecht: Springer.
Millar, R. (1990). Making sense: What use are particle ideas to children? In P. L. Lijnse, P. Licht, W. de Vos, & A. J. Waarlo (Eds.), Relating macroscopic phenomena to microscopic particles (pp. 283–293). Utrecht: CDβ Press.
Pinker, S. (2008). The stuff of thought; language as a window into human nature. London: Penguin.
Rappoport, L. T., & Ashkenazi, G. (2008). Connecting levels of representation: Emergent versus submergent perspective. International Journal of Science Education, 30(12), 1585–1603.
Rojas, J. A., Rosell, C. M. D., Barber, C. B., Perez-Munuera, I., & Lluch, M. A. (2000). The baking process of wheat rolls followed by cryo scanning electron microscopy. European Food Research and Technology, 212(1), 57–63. doi:10.1007/s002170000209.
Scheffel, L., Brockmeier, W., & Parchmann, I. (2009). Historical material in macro-micro thinking: Conceptual change in chemistry education and the history of chemistry. In J. K. Gilbert & D. F. Treagust (Eds.), Multiple representations in chemical education (Model and modeling in chemical education, Vol. 4, pp. 215–250). Dordrecht: Springer.
Shen, L., Yang, H., Ying, J., Qiao, F., & Peng, M. (2009). Preparation and mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced hydroxyapatite/polylactide biocomposites. Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine, 20(11), 2259–2265. doi:10.1007/s10856-009-3785-2.
Stolk, M. J., Bulte, A. M. W., De Jong, O., & Pilot, A. (2009a). Strategies for a professional development programme: Empowering teachers for context-based chemistry education. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 10, 154–163.
Stolk, M. J., Bulte, A. M. W., De Jong, O., & Pilot, A. (2009b). Towards a framework for a professional development programme: Empowering teachers for context-based chemistry education. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 10, 164–175.
Talanquer, V. (2009). On cognitive constraints and learning progressions: The case of “structure of matter”. International Journal of Science Education, 31(15), 2123–2136.
Tretter, T. R., Jones, M. G., & Minogue, J. (2006). Accuracy of scale conceptions in science: Mental manoeuvrings across many orders of spatial magnitude. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43(10), 1061–1085.
Van Mil, M. H. W., Boerwinkel, D. J., & Waarlo, A. J. (2013). Modelling molecular mechanisms: A framework of scientific reasoning to construct molecular-level explanations for cellular behaviour. Science Education, 22, 93–118.
Van Oers, B. (1998). From context to contextualization. Learning and Instruction, 8, 473–488.
Verhoeff, R. P., Waarlo, A. J., & Boersma, K. T. (2008). Systems modelling and the development of coherent understanding of cell biology. International Journal of Science Education, 30(4), 543–568. doi:10.1080/09500690701237780.
Walstra, P. (2003). Physical chemistry of food. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Wilensky, U., & Resnick, M. (1999). Thinking in levels: A dynamic systems approach to making sense of the world. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 8(1), 3–19.
Acknowledgement
The authors thank the reviewers of this chapter for their very valuable critiques and comments, which helped to improve the text. Mr. Fridolin van der Lecq is much acknowledged for providing the dedicated photographs of Fig. 6.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Meijer, M.R., Bulte, A.M.W., Pilot, A. (2013). Macro–Micro Thinking with Structure–Property Relations: Integrating ‘Meso-levels’ in Secondary Education. In: Tsaparlis, G., Sevian, H. (eds) Concepts of Matter in Science Education. Innovations in Science Education and Technology, vol 19. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5914-5_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5914-5_20
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-5913-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-5914-5
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)