There has been increased attention recently on models and modelling within the global science education field. Research has begun to skew towards a competence-based perspective of models and modelling, as teachers are experiencing challenges and do not have the required competence in modelling from either theoretical or practical perspectives.…

In teaching sciences, models are often used to introduce, elaborate or simplify real-world phenomena or concepts. It is, however, often the case that misconceptions arise from or are facilitated by these teaching models during their transition to mental models of the individual learners. For instance, models are often seen as direct replicas of…

The aim of this study was to examine the potential impact of the representational characteristics of models and students' educational levels on students' views of scientific models and modeling (VSMM). An online multimedia questionnaire was designed to address three major aspects of VSMM, namely the "nature of models," the "nature…

Inquiry- and context-based teaching strategies have been proven to stimulate and motivate students' interests in learning science. In this study, 12 teachers reflected on these strategies after using them in primary schools. The teachers participated in a continuous professional development (CPD) programme. During the programme, they were also…