The Formulation of the Concept of Atomism in Science Education

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  • 理科教育における原子論の形成に関する一考察
  • リカ キョウイク ニ オケル ゲンシロン ノ ケイセイ ニ カンスル イチ コウサツ

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Abstract

<p>One mistaken use of science history in science education is teaching that Dalton’s atomic theory had been formulated on the basis of the law of conservation of mass, the law of definite proportions, and the law of multiple proportions. Not a few chemistry textbooks in upper secondary school describe the formulation of the concept in this manner. As a result, atomic theory is not recognized as the result of reasoning inductively from facts found by experiments which are based on the laws mentioned above. Indeed, the premise of atomism allowed both the law of the indestructibility of matter and the idea of particles to be discovered. When the idea is deductively applied to actual chemical changes of matter, which are the phenomena of the macrocosm, students become aware that atomism is effective. They not only grasp the law of conservation of mass, the law of definite proportions, and the law of multiple proportions clearly, but also come to understand what atomism really means. Two methods of introducing atomism to upper secondary school students were used in this study: one is the inductive method used in chemistry textbooks, and the other is a deductive one based on the recognition process of atomism according to science history. The results of the test showed that it was easier for students learning with the deductive method to understand atomism. This finding shows that the traditional way of teaching atomism in upper secondary school textbooks is insufficient and that we should teach the process of recognition according to science history.</p>

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