The model is widely recognised as an inaccurate, possibly even misleading, representation of an atom. Of course that doesn't stop it being an immensely informative model for explaining any number of features of the atom.
I think the example you've given here is illustrative of a general pedagogical truth, that to teach something you have to simplify, and simplification is misleading. Nonetheless, the simplification has enough of a kernal of truth to be very helpful to the student.
Another thing you have to do to teach something is to methodize it.
Now if you are teaching a certain skill that is not conducive to methodization, you are going to end up actually falsifying to beginners the actual way that people who are skilled in the subject go about their business. My example is the teaching of writing. I teach it. I have to methodize. That's a falsification.
This message has been edited by robinrohan, 12-01-2005 07:44 PM
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