Ο μικρόκοσμος στο δημοτικό – κάνοντας «ορατά» τα μη-ορατά σωματίδια της ύλης

Numerous studies support the educational model of microcosm as a useful tool for understanding and interpreting macroscopic phenomena. Consequently, an international attempt is made to apply educational approaches of this model or of the particulate nature of matter, as most commonly reported in the international bibliography. However, introducing the model of microcosm seems to be a difficult and long-lasting issue as it involves non-intuitive ideas and it refers to a scale that students are unable to understand using their senses. For this reason, a worldwide effort to find the best educational approach for students as young as possible is currently attempted. In this study, an intervention was implemented, attempting to introduce the model of microcosm to primary education by applying analogies, sequential enlargements of objects, simultaneous macroscopic and microscopic imaging and dynamic simulations of microcosm, in order to address the difficulties of the non-intuitive ideas and especially of the invisible particles that compose matter. The research was focused on whether primary school students were capable, after the proposed intervention, of understanding this model and apply it in the explanation of macroscopic phenomena. The sample consisted of 50 students in the 5th grade. The results showed that students of this age are in a position to understand the model of microcosm thus, additionally facilitating the understanding and explanation of the macroscopic phenomena (e.g. physical change).