An Argument about the Relationship between the Didactic Transposition Based on the Simplification of Scientific Knowledge and the Problems of Chemistry Instruction

Abstract

From an educational point of view, it seems perfectly normal that the knowledge transferred to the teaching environment differs from the knowledge produced in the scientific environment. The concept of understanding this differentiation process is a didactical translation. Considering those misconceptions, which are an important problem in chemistry education, are simply the incompatibility of scientific knowledge and learned knowledge, it can be stated that the main purpose of chemistry education is to transfer the naive knowledge produced to the teaching environment as much as possible. In this context, it is an important question as to what kind of changes the realization of didactic transposition in chemical knowledge causes in the epistemic quality of chemical knowledge and whether these changes constitute a problem in terms of the basic aims of chemistry education. Considering the unique epistemic nature of chemical knowledge, which has been frequently discussed in the philosophy of chemistry in recent years, and the emphasis on the necessity of teaching in accordance with this nature in chemistry education, the importance of this question becomes clearer. In this framework, this study aims to develop an argument that the simplification or simplification of scientific knowledge, which is the most basic tendency of didactic transposition, is not suitable for chemical knowledge. In the theoretical and empirical grounding of the argument, didactic transposition, the approach of philosophy and epistemology of chemistry defining the nature of chemical knowledge, and the literature on misconceptions encountered in chemistry education were taken into consideration. In addition, the relationship between the didactic simplification of chemical knowledge and the problems encountered in chemistry teaching and learning was evaluated and preliminary statements were made about possible problems that could be recognized through scientific studies.

Keywords

• Chemical knowledge
• didactic transposition
• chemistry education
• philosophy of chemistry

Bilimsel Bilginin Basitleşmesine Dayalı Didaktik Dönüşümün Kimya Öğretiminin Sorunları ile İlişkisi Hakkında Bir Argüman

Abstract

Öğretim ortamına taşınan bilgilerin, bilim ortamında üretilen bilgilerden farklılaşması didaktik açıdan son derece olağan görünmektedir. Bu farklılaşma sürecini anlamada kullanılan kavram, didaktik dönüşümdür. Kimya öğretiminde önemli bir sorun olan kavram yanılgılarının, en yalın hali ile bilimsel bilgi ile öğrenilen bilginin uyuşmaması olduğu göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, kimya eğitiminde temel amacın, üretilmiş bilimsel bilginin mümkün olduğunca bozulmadan öğretim ortamına taşınması olduğu ifade edilebilir. Bu bağlamda didaktik dönüşümün kimyasal bilgide gerçekleşmesinin kimyasal bilginin epistemik niteliğinde ne tür değişimlere neden olduğu, bu değişimlerin kimya eğitiminin temel amaçları noktasında sorun teşkil edip etmediği, önemli bir soru olarak kendini göstermektedir. Son yıllarda kimya felsefesinde sıkça ele alınan kimyasal bilginin kendine has epistemik doğası ve kimya eğitiminde bu doğaya uygun öğretimin gerçekleşmesi gerektiğine yönelik vurgular dikkate alındığında, söz konusu sorunun önemi daha açık hale gelmektedir. Bu çerçevede bu çalışmada, didaktik dönüşümün en temel eğilimi olan bilimsel bilginin sadeleştirilmesi veya basitleştirilmesinin kimyasal bilgiye uygun olmadığına yönelik bir argümanın geliştirilmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Argümanın teorik ve ampirik olarak temellendirilmesinde didaktik dönüşüm, kimya felsefesi ve epistemolojisinin kimyasal bilginin doğasını tanımlayan yaklaşımı ve kimya eğitiminde karşılaşılan kavram yanılgıları ile ilgili alanyazın dikkate alınmıştır. Ayrıca kimyasal bilgiyi didaktik olarak basitleştirmenin kimya öğretiminde ve öğreniminde karşılaşılan sorunlar ile ilişkisi değerlendirilmiş ve bilimsel çalışmalarla fark edilebilecek olası sorunlara yönelik ön deyilerde bulunulmuştur.

Keywords

• Kimyasal bilgi
• didaktik dönüşüm
• kimya eğitimi
• kimya felsefesi

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