Models as artefacts of a dual nature: a philosophical contribution to teaching about models designed and used in engineering practice

Abstract

Although 'models' play a significant role in engineering activities, not much has yet been developed to enhance the technological literacy of students in this regard. This contribution intends to help fill this gap and deliver a comprehensive account as to the nature and various properties of these engineering tools. It begins by inspecting two wellknown cases: the long-term policy documents of technological literacy in the USA and in New Zealand. This will help to clarify the approach of these educational documents to models, provide a primary understanding of their existing drawbacks in this relation, and realize the necessity of underpinning a well-organized account that can be used in teaching about models. Next, the discussion moves toward an attempt to develop a sound description of the nature of models. This is accomplished through an extensive review of the viewpoints of philosophers (of science and technology) about the nature and properties of these tools; models will then be argued and suggested for consideration as technoscientific artefacts with their own dual nature: the intrinsic and the intentional. Such an account paves the way to the next step, which namely attempts to provide a well-ordered framework of the models' various properties, through taking up those two natures and their interrelation in detail. The paper concludes by showing some initial advantages of applying the suggested approach to the intended cases, which can hopefully lead to further, more detailed inspections and extended contributions.

Models and modelling for authentic STEM education: reinforcing the argument

“…They describe the "intrinsic" nature of models as concerning the material structure and form of models, whereas the "intentional" nature of models concerns their functions, that is, whether they are used for exploration, design or communication. In line with Nia and de Vries (2017), Table 1 infers that modelling is often about representing simplified versions of reality that take on concrete/physical, conceptual, verbal, gestural or symbolic/mathematical forms (Gilbert, 2004). Models are Integrating models and modelling can increase the authenticity of STEM curricula by explicitly training science teachers in the nature and role of models.…”

“…Teaching authentic modelling processes must be rooted in explicit and tested frameworks that are based on the practice of the STEM disciplines (e.g. Justi & Gilbert, 2002), such as the approach provided by Nia and de Vries (2017). Authentic STEM education should be driven by developing interaction between STEM subjects in parallel with maintaining the integrity of each subject (Williams, 2011).…”

The New Zealand Curriculum's approach to technological literacy through the lens of the philosophy of technology

“…Regardless of such an articulation, the subject of models and modelling is not considered in a comprehensive manner in this strand and is confined to some brief discussion about various types of models and only two types of modelling: "functional modelling [which] allows for the ongoing testing of design concepts for yet---to---be- The philosophical reflections, however, deliver extensive descriptions that, as highlighted by Nia and de Vries (2016b), are worth considering in technological literacy programmes. Morrison and Morgan (1999) and subsequently Boon and Knuuttila (2009) have made prudent attempts to release 'models' from the customary perspective of considering them to be merely representational tools -the perspective which, by the same token for NZC and TCS, sees modelling merely as representing a reality (Ministry of Education of New Zealand, 2010, pp.…”

“…In Boon and Knuuttila's view, models have a broader epistemic nature, and modelling is used "to understand, predict or optimize the behaviour of devices or the properties of diverse materials, whether actual or possible" (p. 693). Hence, after a wide investigation into different accounts regarding the nature and various properties of models, Nia and de Vries (2016b) argue that these tools should be considered as techno---scientific artefacts with their own dual nature -intrinsic and intentional. Their well---categorized framework sketches the nature and different features of models and emphasizes their multifunctional roles in modelling activities, far from confining them to only a few functions (Figure 2).…”

Modelos de inmunidad en estudiantes universitarios: su evolución como resultado de un proceso de enseñanza

“…In the study of the models in science didactics, both as representations and as epistemic artifacts, different meanings abound JUSTI, 2016;KNUUTTILA, 2005b). Be they mediators (MORRISSON;MORGAN, 1999) or artifacts (KNUUTTILA, 2005a(KNUUTTILA, , 2011NIA;DE VRIES, 2017), they are important in science education. According to Gilbert and Justi (2016), models function as external representations to support thought, and their construction and manipulation support several epistemic functions.…”