Concepts of Matter in Science Education

Bringing together a wide collection of ideas, reviews, analyses and new research on particulate and structural concepts of matter, Concepts of Matter in Science Education informs practice from pre-school through graduate school learning and teaching and aims to inspire progress in science education. The expert contributors offer a range of reviews and critical analyses of related literature and in-depth analysis of specific issues, as well as new research. Among the themes covered are learning progressions for teaching a particle model of matter, the mental models of both students and teachers of the particulate nature of matter, educational technology, chemical reactions and chemical phenomena, chemical structure and bonding, quantum chemistry and the history and philosophy of science relating to the particulate nature of matter. The book will benefit a wide audience including classroom practitioners and student teachers at every educational level, teacher educators and researchers in science education.

"If gaining the precise meaning in particulate terms of what is solid, what is liquid, and that air is a gas, were that simple, we would not be confronted with another book which, while suggesting new approaches to teaching these topics, confirms they are still very difficult for students to learn".

Peter Fensham, Emeritus Professor Monash University, Adjunct Professor QUT

 (from the foreword to this book)

• chemistry education
• learning PNM
• learning concepts of matter
• models in chemistry education
• particulate concepts
• particulate nature of matter
• science education
• structural concepts
• teaching PNM
• teaching concepts of matter
• learning and instruction

From the book reviews:

“It is a comprehensive and well-written book with synergies across the areas of research and curriculum development … . It therefore holds implications for researchers and practitioners at every grade level. … A book of this breadth has a place on every researcher’s shelf. … For those considering carrying out research about student conceptions of matter, chemical structure or bonding, the chapters in this book covering these topics are exceedingly well referenced and provide new directions in research.” (Marcy H. Towns, Studies in Science Education, July, 2014)

“This substantial book, organised in six sections, offers 21 chapters emerging from a 2010 symposium held in Athens, Greece … . any chemistry teacher digging into this book will find something of value to help them help their students to more clearly ‘see’ and understand the concept of matter.” (Vanessa Kind, Education in Chemistry, March, 2014)

• , Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, Greece, Ioannina, Greece

  Georgios Tsaparlis

• , Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA

  Hannah Sevian

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