ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to explore ways to help students understand scientific explanations. For example, scientific explanations include giving an account of how a bicycle tire pump works, how a car's braking system works, how the human respiratory system works, how lightning storms develop, or how airplanes achieve lift (Mayer, 1997, 2001, 2002). In particular, I explore instructional techniques that go beyond explaining in words alone.
