Stereochemie in het VWO: Commentaar op ‘lessen’ ruimtemeetkunde 1 Stereochemistry at ‘VWO’: Comments on ‘lessen ruimtemeetkunde 1’

Tijdschrift voor Didactiek van de Beta-wetenschappen, uitgegeven door het Freudenthal Instituut, Universiteit Utrecht in de periode 1983-2014

Vos, P. Tijdschrift voor Didactiek van de Beta-wetenschappen 1985 – 3(1), 36-43 Download pdf

This article reviews an experimental course in stereometrics for science students in secondary education in the Netherlands: ‘Lessen in ruimtemeetkunde 1’. Strong starting points are the linking up of the course with preexisting experience of the students and the treatment of projection techniques through historical development in art and science. The course also makes a clear distinction between polar and parallel projection types, necessary for a proper understanding of spatial relations as commonly depicted. Unfortunately, the course does not discriminate between students looking at objects and projected images of objects. As a consequence a number of illustrations and exercises show conflicting and therefore confusing characteristics. In these cases students lacking sufficient experience with projected objects will fail to reach accurate mental representations of the intended 3-dimensional forms. The authors should pay due attention to this psychological problem of picture interpretation, when preparing a final version of the course.