chemicalparadigms

The time has come,” the Walrus said, To talk of many things: Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings . . . (Lewis Carroll)

In Chemistry you know many things already: that 1 mole is equal to 6.023×1023 particles and that atoms are made up of protons, neutrons and electrons. However, we rarely stop to think about the process by which scientific knowledge is produced, obtained and achieved, nor under what circumstances, and in what ways scientific knowledge is renewed and reshaped by different people and from what perspectives and approaches. By pausing to reflect about the complexity of knowledge as you move though your study of chemistry (& science) you will deepen your understanding of how we know what we know about science and the scope and limits of this knowledge.

What can you blog about:

• Ask a question that shows that you are thinking critically about a concept or idea.
• Make a response to a post in a way that expands on the idea and show you are thinking thoughtfully about it.
• Write a review of a website you have visited. Reflect on its reliability. What does it offer science students? What are its strengths and weaknesses? How does it expand what we know?
• Post a review of the book, textbook, article from a newspaper or magazine
• Embed a video, podcast and write a review of it. Some podcasts worth looking at are: Science Times – from The New York Times Science Section, Discovery News Bulletin – from Discovery Channel, 60 Second Science – from Scientific American, NASACast – one of the many podcasts from NASA, The Naked Scientist – podcast from The U.K, Quirks and Quarks - from CBC Canada and ScienceFriday – podcast from NPR US. Not to be missed are TED Talks.
• Recommend an animation, or a piece of software.
• Respond to the TOK questions posed in your IB Chemistry textbook or in TOK class.
• Reflect on the nature of science a ofs an area knowledge
  • The method of gaining knowledge – the “scientific method”
  • The kinds of explanations scientists offer
  • How science makes predictions
  • How science helps us understand our world.
  • How science demands evidence in the form of data/observations (empirical evidence) and the strengths and limitations of data.
  • How scientists uses inductive and deductive reasoning.
  • The role of theoretical and mathematical models.
  • The importance of open-mindedness, freedom of thought, creativity and imagination in the creation of knowledge.
  • The people who have shaped what we know in science.
  • How scientific knowledge progress/grows with time and is subject to change.
  • The connections between science and other areas .
  • The extent and limits of scientific knowledge
  • How paradigm shifts (new ways of thinking) lead to new theories.
  • Possible biases and limitations in the way scientific knowledge is produced.
  • Recognition that many of societies problems like climate change and AIDS are international in nature and require a global multidisciplinary approach. Science alone cannot provide the answers to all questions facing society.
  • How knowledge is verified and justified.
  • How the economic, social and political contexts affects the type of scientific research undertaken.
  • The role of technology/the internet
  • The language used to communicate science.
  • The role of peer review and consensus in the acceptance of new knowledge.
  • How science is a social activity involving many different people and that scientists participate in society as specialists and as citizens.
  • How science is an international endeavor, relying on the exchange of information and ideas across national boundaries.
  • How the foundations for modern day science was laid many centuries before by Arabic, Indian, Chinese and European civilizations.
  • How science is organized into different disciplines
  • How science is conducted in schools, universities, research institutions, and companies and is promoted by organizations like the UN, WHO, UNEP and UNESCO.
  • That there are generally accepted ethical principles in how science is conducted.

  Reflect on the implications of scientific knowledge. The so what? why is this important?

  • To what extent are the issues faced by scientists similar to those faced by experts in other area?
  • To what extent is science a human endeavor?
  • What makes a claim scientific?
  • What is the role of consensus in science?
  • How can science be distinguished from pseudoscience?
  • How does a scientific way of thinking impact what we know in other areas?
  • To what extent are the opinions of experts and authorities important in science?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the scientific method?
  • What is the role of doubt and certainty in science?
  • How is evidence used to support scientific beliefs?
  • To what extent is science defined by its methodology?
  • To what extent is science defined by its context?
  • How can you distinguish between what is true and what is false in science?
  • How can we recognize when we have made progress in science?
  • What is the role of language, reasoning and perception in science?
  • In what ways do models help or hinder the search for knowledge in science
  • To what extent is truth in science different to truth in other areas?
  • How is empirical evidence used in science?
  • What are the strengths and limitations of quantitative and qualitative data in supporting scientific claims?
  • What similarities and differences are there between scientific explanations and those in other areas?
  • To what extent should the actions of scientists be guided ethical principles?
  • How is subjective and objective knowledge used in science?
  • How does experience and culture influence the work of scientists?
  • How do scientists justify their claims?
  • How is intuition used in science
  • What do we learn from science that follows or breaks accepted conventions?
  • What is the role of mathematics in Science?

Some expectations for posts and replies

• Give the readers some idea why the topic interests you. A blog post is more than just factual information, it is more like telling a story, readers what to know about your personal interest and engagement in this topic.
• All posts and replies should be expressed clearly and concisely. Text should be spell checked and correct grammar conventions used – sentence construction, paragraphing, structure and so on.
• All sources (primary and secondary) should have high credibility. At least two credible sources should be used. Reputable news or academic sources are preferred to personal blogs and websites. For internet sources, cite through linking.  For other sources use MLA conventions.
• Don’t directly copy large sections of text from another source.  If it is from a website, make links to direct the reader to the site, so they can read it for themselves.
• All claims made, including opinions should have good justification. Avoid making hasty generalizations.
• Avoid the over use of rhetorical questions – questions used for impact and not intended to be answered.
• They should use images (chosen from creative commons or public domain), titles, formatting to attract and hold the readers attention.
• They should demonstrate an openness to different perspectives, and points of view.
• Since this is a Chemistry blog contributions need to be specifically related to Chemistry or another science. This blog is not a personal diary.
• They should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the scientific concepts and principles.  Explanations should be detailed, factually correct and use appropriate terminology and conventions.
• Try and use original, real life examples that reflect your own personal interest.
• Be concise and precise. Avoid the use of vague scientific terms.
• All replies should first acknowledge the work and ideas of the author. Then go on to extend the conversation in a way that makes the readers think, provides stimulus for further discussion, answers or asks a question. Everyone should feel that they have had the opportunity to have their ideas, understandings, and perspectives enhanced by hearing from others.

Guidelines for Communication

Since this is not a  face-to-face setting, with visual clues, the following guidelines will help you communicate effectively.

• Be careful with humor and tone in your postings. Emoticons icons (smileys ) can help to lighten the tone, but remember that readers come from different age groups and cultural backgrounds.
• Do not make comments about participants personalities or abilities.
• Acknowledge before differing. Differences of opinion are an opportunity to learn.
• Be concise. Long posts are usually not read. If you have a lot to say, structure your message with titles and paragraphs.
• Avoid acronyms. If you must use them, explain them clearly.
• Avoid putting words into capital letters – they are the equivalent of shouting.
• Don’t post ‘I agree’ or ‘I disagree’. Instead give your reasons.
• To show support for one each others ideas, ensure that every post gets at least one reply.
• Refer to people you know (friends, family members) by their first name only.
• Don’t post photos of people with their name alongside.

Chemical Paradigms is owned by the students in Carol Jordan’s IB Chemistry classes, but the resources, ideas and perspectives have come from many sources.  If you use this site please acknowledge it through linking, tagging or some other appropriate way of citing. The original ownership of the text and images lies with a variety of authors some of whom have been acknowledged. If an image or text has been used without permission and you wish to have it removed please contact the site administrator. If you wish to reply to any of the posts please follow the guidelines laid out above.

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