Discusses the nature of science education as an essential aspect of the phase-model of scientific development. (Author/CCM)

Discusses how Thomas Kuhn's view of scientific development parallels Piaget's model of conceptual development in childhood. (Author/CCM)

Attempts to solve the problem of hidden structure in school chemistry. Argues that normal chemistry education is isolated from common sense, everyday life and society, the history and philosophy of science, technology, school physics, and chemical research. (Author/CCM)

Surveys the astronomical community on their familiarity with the work of Thomas Kuhn. Finds that for some astronomers, Kuhn's thought resonated well with their picture of how science is done and provided perspectives on their scientific careers. (Author/CCM)

Discusses the similarities between Kuhn's essay about scientific revolutions and Popper's idea of falsification. Assesses Kuhn's contribution to the theory of naturalism. (Author/CCM)

Analyzes how Thomas Kuhn's writings are used by others, especially science education researchers. Examines who cites Kuhn, in what manner, and why. (Author/CCM)

The failure to reduce special sciences such as chemistry to quantum mechanics has produced many responses, including the notion of supervenience and that of the disunity of the sciences. Criticizes these responses and proposes an alternative one, namely the autonomy of chemistry. (Author/SAH)

Highly recommends the study of the history and philosophy of science in school science courses. Addresses methodological aspects derived from research in science education and how they have to be taken into account in order to generate effective classroom activities. (Author/SAH)

Undergraduate students do not always make a clear distinction between physics and mathematics, particularly early in their studies. Offers a simple historical example and show how it can be used to illustrate some of the important differences and relationships between the two. (Author/SAH)

The general concept of energy is somewhat unclear as long as it is confined to physics since every chapter of it defines its own particular concept of energy. The general concept can be elucidated in terms of the hypergeneral concepts of concrete things and changeability. Concludes that physicists and philosophers can learn from one another.…

Discusses the evolution of science through historical accounts. History should become an integral part of science teaching at all levels as it is through history of science that students can become aware of the open nature of science, and more importantly, of the open nature of methods by which science can be done. (Author/SAH)

Theories of teaching and learning on human cognition depend on domain-free, general purpose processing by the brain. Cognition is modular in nature and often domain-specific. Children's ideas in science are often triggered rather than learned. Triggered conceptual structures are not necessarily expressible in language and may not be susceptible to…

Attempts to understand Vygotsky's perspective in relation to Marxist epistemology and critically examines the sociocultural interpretation of Vygotsky. Shows that the relativism of the sociocultural school not only takes Vygotsky's zone of proximal development out of its social and historical context, but downplays the zone of proximal development…

Offers a resolution to the debate between constructivists and realists regarding the epistemological status of human knowledge. Presents evidence in the form of three case studies and one experimental study. Concludes that knowledge acquisition involves a pattern idea generation and test that, when cast in the form of a verbal argument, follows an…

Explores and challenges a number of assumptions and claims commonly associated with a constructivist approach to science education. Suggests that constructivist ideas are noteworthy within primary education because they help justify classroom practices and activities that primary school teachers regard as important. Greater clarity and precision…