Concept learning in science

Abstract

The definitions of the term are almost as varied as the people who employ the word. Though researchers in the sciences seldom worry over definitions of scientific concepts, psychologists appear to be preoccupied with definitions. In the literature dealing with science teaching the terms scheme, theme, organizational thread, major generalization, major concept, fundamental idea, and major principle are used almost synonymously. The literature on concept formation indicates there is little agreement on the definition of the term although there is a tendency to limit its use to relatively simple aggregations of experience. In our view it would be better to accept the widely diverse use of the term and to construct a of conceptual analogous to Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (1956). At the lowest levels in this taxonomy (level 1.01, for example) would be as the term is used by experimental psychologists working with nonsense symbols or aggregates of nonsense syllables. At the highest levels (6.60, for instance) would be as the term is used by chemists speaking of molecular kinetics or biologists speaking of evolution. From a historical perspective, higher-order concepts derive from aggregation and modification of earlier, simpler concepts. Therefore, both the history of concept development in a discipline and the ontogeny of concept learning by individuals may support a natural taxonomy of concept levels.