Abstract:

The concept of organic and inorganic matter has a strong influence on the learning of experimental sciences. For example, in the field of Biology it is essential when studying the food relationships between living beings or the flow of matter and energy in an ecosystem, or in the case of Physics and Chemistry to study the chemical compounds or analyse vitalism theory. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to explore this concept more deeply and over time in a secondary school of medium-high socio-cultural status in Badajoz, Spain. It is a case study with exploratory and descriptive aims to explain the origin of persistent errors. That is, to identify the errors of students either as implicit theories or as faults deriving from their education. The methodology used is based on the unique nature of schools that are directed in a polarised way towards a very clearly defined humanistic and scientific approach. The investigative strategy involved the creation of comics by students across the whole range of Compulsory Secondary Education. As a result, we present models of vignettes where students confuse inorganic with inert matter and we outline the influence the materials used by the students have on the teaching. For this, the definition and vision provided by the textbook used by the students is highlighted.

Keywords:

Science education, conceptual errors, preconceptions, alternative ideas, implicit theories.