Atoms in need

As any teacher will testify, there are many questions to which the answer might be ‘because it wants a full outer shell’ or ‘so it becomes more stable’, raising the hackles of those seeking the development of a deeper level of understanding in students. Many teachers (including the author of this summary) have resorted to anthropomorphism, building explanations around the wants and needs of atoms and molecules to help students to overcome difficulties in answering questions relating to bonding and properties of matter. However, such teleological explanations can prevent students from developing the deeper understanding required for success in more advanced study, and are often the foundation of the most deep-rooted misconceptions that students carry through their studies.

Talanquer has investigated the explanatory preferences of students at different stages in order to probe the impact of this issue.

David Read summarises and evaluates this investigation.