Maps of structure of scientific knowledge, the Didactic Transposition Theory of Chevallard, Izquierdo and de Mello (CHIM) and the Theory of Scientific Knowledge

Abstract

We present here the most current version of the theory of didactic transposition (DT) that encompasses (synthesizes) the theory of Chevallard (1991), the cognitive theory of science and mental models of Jhonson-Laird (1987 and 1995). A brief review of Chevallard's theory is presented and the generalization of this theory is presented by De Mello according to the works of Izquierdo-Aymerich (2003). That is, a theory is proposed here to study the way the original scientific models are transposed to didactic models. That is, to analyze how the knowledge produced in the 'academic spheres' changes adapt and simplify and consolidate themselves as knowledge to be taught in the classroom. Complementing the works of Chevallard (1982 and 1991), Brockington (2005) and others we propose here rules that define how a DT should occur or be performed. Finally, we suggest some guidelines on how DT should be performed. Next, we present the Scientific Knowledge Theory (SKT) along with one of its possible research methodologies. That is, along with generalized conceptual maps as an algorithmic language and here termed maps of the structures of scientific knowledge (MECC). The generalization of the research tool named Conceptual Mapping. It is known that in the moment that a given author produces a certain text or hypertext, be it a didactic text, an article, a report or a scientific text that "materializes" in the written form, implied in its more general form, in a set of ideas , hypotheses, explanatory models, a theory and/or experimental facts. At that moment we have the occurrence of a "pedagogical fact". It is proposed here that a theory of the Transposition of Scientific Knowledge or Didactic Transposition, equipped with a research methodology and based on pedagogical facts, constitutes a branch of the social sciences. That this new theory, named "Theory of Knowledge," can easily be generalized to other forms of knowledge.