The Oil Drop Experiment: An Illustration of Scientific Research Methodology and its Implications for Physics Textbooks

The objectives of this study are:(1) evaluation of the methodology used in recent search for particles with fractional electrical charge (quarks) and its implications for understanding the scientific research methodology of Millikan; (2) evaluation of 43 general physics textbooks and 11 laboratory manuals, with respect to the oil drop experiment, based on seven history and philosophy of science criteria. Results obtained show that all the textbooks and manuals ignored the Millikan–Ehrenhaft controversy and in general lacked a history and philosophy of science perspective. In spite of the anomalous data, Millikan adhered to the guiding assumptions of his research program. Ehrenhaft's work strictly followed the logic of experimental observations. Although, Ehrenhaft's work approximated the traditional scientific method, the scientific community supported Millikan. General physics textbooks and laboratory manuals present the oil drop experiment as an example of the scientific method in which experimental data implicitly serves as an arbiter in the defense of Millikan. It is suggested that textbooks and manuals by including the Millikan–Ehrenhaft controversy and the methodology used in the search for quarks could enrich students' understanding of scientific research methodology, viz., experimental data do not always dictate the choice of a theory.     

A Reconstruction of Structure of the Atom and Its Implications for General Physics Textbooks: A History and Philosophy of Science Perspective

Recent research in science education has recognized the importance of history and philosophy of science. The objective of this study is to evaluate the presentation of the Thomson, Rutherford, and Bohr models of the atom in general physics textbooks based on criteria derived from history and philosophy of science. Forty-one general physics textbooks (all published in the United States) were evaluated on two criteria based on Thomson's work, three on Rutherford's work, and three on Bohr's work. Results obtained show that general physics textbooks do not systematically include a history and philosophy of science perspective. Most textbooks present an inductivist perspective in which experimental details are considered to be paramount. On the contrary, a historical reconstruction of the experimental details inevitably includes: the context in which an experiment is conducted, the theoretical framework that guides the scientist, and alternative interpretations of data that lead to conflicts and controversies. Examples are provided to show how historical reconstructions of atomic models can provide students an opportunity to appreciate how scientists work and science progresses. It is plausible to suggest that textbook presentations based on a history and philosophy of science perspective can perhaps arouse students' interest in the subject and hence lead to greater conceptual understanding.     

The Nature of Science and Its Implications for Physics Textbooks

This study aims to analyse, based on common characteristics of the Nature of Science, how first year university Physics textbooks present the introduction of the concept and theories of magnetic field. It shows that despite the increasing number of studies into the Nature of Science in Science Education, Physics textbooks fail to adopt the results of this research. It is proposed that it would be plausible for textbooks to illustrate the characteristics of the Nature of Science by focusing on problems and changes in the development of the theory of magnetic field.     

Identifying and Addressing Student Difficulties with the Millikan Oil Drop Experiment

The Millikan oil drop experiment has been characterized as one of the ‘most beautiful’ physics experiments of all time and, certainly, as one of the most frustrating of all the exercises in the undergraduate physics laboratory. A literature review reveals that work done on addressing student difficulties in performing the oil drop experiment has, to date, not achieved a significant measure of success. The historical background of the oil drop experiment is well established in the literature from the perspective of historians of science, but not so from the perspective of teachers and students of science. A summary of historical details surrounding the original experiment suitable for use in revising the instructional approach is presented. Both Millikan and his graduate student, Fletcher, are featured with the view to emphasizing details that humanize the protagonists and that are likely to raise student interest. The issue of the necessary reliance on presuppositions in doing speculative research is raised, both from the historical account and from the insights of university physics students who heard the historical account and performed the experiment. Difficulties current students have in performing the experiment are discussed from the perspective of Hodson (Stud Sci Educ 22:85–142, 1993) framework and the students’ own observations. Last, further historical materials are outlined that may be used to encourage student insight into the fundamental nature of electricity. It is proposed that these aspects are essential as a basis for identifying and addressing student difficulties with the Millikan oil drop experiment.

Java面向对象程序设计在密立根油滴实验中的应用

在电子科技发达的时代背景下,为提高实验数据处理的效率,实现物理实验数据处理的自动化,以密立根油滴实验为例,运用高效率、结构化、模块化的编程语言,采取面向对象的编程技术,用Java编程语言编写了适用于密立根油滴实验数据处理的程序,计算出元电荷量为1.619×10-19C,和公认值相比,相对误差为1.038%,并通过比较Visual Basic、Matlab、C语言、Java在物理实验数据处理中的优劣势,说明了Java面向对象程序设计在数据处理乃至科学计算中的优势。     

中学化学实验素养体系及其发展研究

中学化学实验素养是学生在分析解决化学实验问题以及完成实验活动时所表现出来的必备品格和关键能力.中华人民共和国成立以来,我国中学化学实验素养的内涵结构不断演进,化学实验素养的内容体系在教材设计中不断得到科学优化.新时期化学实验教学改革需科学建构中学化学实验素养的内涵结构,进一步加强实验素养的内容设计和评价机制,提高中学化学教师的实验教学能力,以全面深化化学实验教学培养学生科学素养的功能.     

《有机化学及实验》重点课程建设的实践与探索

重点课程建设是提高教学质量,培养应用型人才的需要.本文从师资队伍、教材建设、教学内容、教学方法和手段、实验教学等方面进行了教学改革与实践,取得良好的教学效果,并对今后的建设进行了探索,确立了有机化学及实验课程进一步建设目标.     

中学化学教材中化学史内容编排的思考

化学史是化学课程内容的重要组成部分,实施化学史教育是全面提高学生科学素养的重要途径。教材作为实现课程目标的内容载体,应从化学史素材的选择、化学史内容的编排顺序及其呈现方式等方面综合考虑化学史内容的编排,为教师的教和学生的学提供资源和引导,充分发挥化学史的教育教学功能。     

Philosophy of Chemistry: An Emerging Field with Implications for Chemistry Education

Traditional applications of history and philosophy of science in chemistry education have concentrated on the teaching and learning of history of chemistry. In this paper, the recent emergence of philosophy of chemistry as a distinct field is reported. The implications of this new domain for chemistry education are explored in the context of chemical models. Trends in the treatment of models in chemistry education highlights the need for reconceptualizing the teaching and learning of chemistry to embrace chemical epistemology, a potential contribution by philosophy of chemistry.     

多样化背景下教材特色题材编写的初步尝试——以西南师大出版社的小学数学教材为例

教材的特色化是实现教材多样化的基础.西南师大出版社小学数学教材在情境特色方面呈现出鲜明的农村特色和西部特色,特色题材在"数与代数"学习领域表现最为突出,在第二学段体现最为明显,呈现方式以图文结合的练习题为主.但是,在教材编写中仍存在着对特色题材的内容缺乏深层次挖掘、表现形式流于表面等问题,在以后的探索中应进一步提高认识,坚持研究与编写相结合的原则,并建立更为开放的审查制度.     

The Concept of Nondeterminism: Its Development and Implications for Teaching

Nondeterminism is a fundamental concept in computer science that appears in various contexts such as automata theory, algorithms and concurrent computation. We present a taxonomy of the different ways that nondeterminism can be defined and used; the categories of the taxonomy are domain, nature, implementation, consistency, execution and semantics. An historical survey shows how the concept was developed from its inception by Rabin & Scott, Floyd and Dijkstra, as well as the interplay between nondeterminism and concurrency. Computer science textbooks and pedagogical software are surveyed to determine how they present the concept; the results show that the treatment of nondeterminism is generally fragmentary and unsystematic. We conclude that the teaching of nondeterminism must be integrated through the computer science curriculum so that students learn to see nondeterminism both in terms of abstract mathematical entities and in terms of machines whose execution is unpredictable.

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中华优秀传统文化在中学化学教科书中的百年变迁研究

中学化学教科书中的中华优秀传统文化内容在清朝末年至改革开放后的不同时期,具有不同的特点。通过对样本教科书的统计研究,发现传统文化内容在数量、选材、位置、呈现方式等方面的变化特点。在编写传统文化内容时要思考其教育目的,遵循一定的选材原则,并注意呈现与表达方式。     

化学实验教学与能力培养

化学实验教师要从学科特点出发,重视培养学生的能力。要紧密联系实际,采用多种手段,丰富学生的实验科学知识,锻炼学生的基本操作技能,培养他们独立思考、分析问题、解决问题的能力及独立实验、进行科学研究的能力。     

高中化学实验内容的组成要素及其应用

化学实验内容的组成有问题要素、本体要素、知识要素、方法与技能要素、态度要素等五个要素。利用化学实验组成要素来分析教材、开展实验教学设计、进行实验改进是一个充分发挥化学实验教育教学功能的有效途径。     

论有机实验创造思维能的培养

在有机实验教学中对学生进行创造思维能力培养的探讨     

无机化学实验考核的改革

无机化学实验考核有必要进行改革,其主要内容包括改革考核的评定标准,注重对学生实验过程的考核,实行教师考核与学生自我评定相结合,把平时考核与期末考核相结合。     

用全面质量管理的方法指导化学实验课的教学

介绍了化学实验课教学的基本方法．通过对学生实验报告的分析、探讨,采用全面质量管理体系的观点与方法,将分析结果有效地反馈到实验课教学中,从中寻求较好的实验课教学方法,并得到较好的教学效果。从而得到了一种比较可行的、有助于提高教学质量的教学方法。