ABSTRACT
Human brain is responsible for processing and remembering information so learning takes place. Two main cognitive systems are used to learn: long-term memory and short-term memory. Despite the apparent similarities in how scientific ideas evolve in learners' minds and throughout the history of science, learning science can be harder than doing science. Whilst scientists make sense of phenomena using their pre-existing scientific ideas, students learning science at school are stuck in a quandary. Learning is influenced heavily by what has been perceived and by what is already known, not to mention other factors such as beliefs, attitudes, classroom environments and summer holidays. However, teachers can increase the chances of learning by creating tasks that minimise irrelevant information – in this case by not using boiling water – and so focus attention on the aspects that they want students to be thinking about.
