Learning the Concept of Chemical Substance: the Role of Reconstructive Memory

Memory is understood as a place of storage. We consider this model limited to understand the process of learning. Thus, we adopted the model that memory is understood as a meaning making reconstruction process. This reconstruction is characterized by some features, such as transformations, transferences, elaborations, and importations. This paper presents a case, in which two students try to solve questions about chemical substance by remembering information from prior sources and knowledge. The analysis showed that the construction of meanings occurs from modifications on memory by the emergence of remembering features (transformation, importation, transference, and elaboration). Thus, we have some clues how memory can regulate the meaning making of scientific concepts.