From scientists' and inventors' minds to some scientific and technological products: relationships between theories, models, mental models and conceptions

Abstract

The concepts of model and mental model have had an increasing role in science education literature. The nature of mental models is a well developed issue in psychology and some researchers have borrowed psychological theories to carry out research in science education. Despite considering this route as a fruitful one, we argue for the need of theoretical work on mental models within the field of science education. Our approach starts with consensus but vague definitions of model and mental model and aims at improving these notions by considering the relationships between both models & theories and mental models & conceptions. The former relationship is examined in the light of both the Kuhnian concept of models as an element of paradigms and the notion proposed by Nersessian of models as a working device for building theories. The latter is developed by means of two case-studies derived from the history of science and technology. These are Galileo's observation of the Moon and the development of aeroplanes during the first decade of this century. In the conclusion, we discuss some features of models and mental models in the light of the above mentioned relationships.