Seeing Molecules In Context

Abstract

If you ask children to describe a scientist, they often talk about someone who has white fuzzy hair, wears glasses and a lab coat, and knows lots of science facts. Children are not alone in that last perception-that experts in science or any other field simply know more facts than novices. It's an idea that has received considerable indirect support in recent years, as a number of books have professed to tell all you really need to know about science, history, or other topics. By and large, these books offer a clearly presented collection of important facts or events and perhaps some elaboration. But the facts seem to have little connection to one another, and the books rarely consider causality. Such books view learners as empty vessels who simply absorb given information. But educational research shows that if learning is to be meaningful, it must be constructed by the individual. That person must make sense ...