Entwicklung einer Theorie über die wissenschaftlichen Bilder und Anwendung auf die Wahlvorlesung "Aktiver und passiver Transport durch Membranen"

Pictures are essential in the communication of scientific knowledge. They are used to
publish the results of experiments, to introduce students to a scientific topic or to
explain scientific matters to the public.
When discussing pictures, especially in teaching at the university, the contents are
usually the focus of our attention. Despite the increasing use of pictures, their form,
creation and development are rarely discussed.
In the first theoretical part of the thesis, these aspects were studied on the basis of
an extensive literature research, case studies and experiments with students. A theory
about scientific pictures was developed in which the subject was examined in three
chapters. In the first chapter, the influence of formal aspects on the visualization of
invisible structures was studied. It was shown how scientific pictures of the invisible
are created by means of metaphors, models and instruments.
In the second chapter, the subsequent development of scientific pictures was
explored. It was shown how standard pictures in science, so-called canonical icons,
emerge by the process of copying. The transformations of scientific pictures occurring
in the process of their popularization were identified.
In the third chapter, the influence of the presentation on the contents of scientific
pictures was studied. The differences between simple schematic and complex
naturalistic pictures were disclosed. Thereby the differences of graphic renditions were
shown.
The theory elaborated means to an active reception of pictures. Furthermore, it was
shown how the scientific, graphical and didactical quality of pictures can be enhanced
and how their use in scientific communication can be improved.
In the second practical part of the thesis, 11 methods for the preparation of learning
materials were derived from the theory. These methods were applied in the revision of
the elective course „Aktiver und passiver Transport durch Membranen“ (active and
passive transport through membranes) in the studies of pharmaceutical sciences at the
University of Basel. A comprehensive review of the topic was prepared. The lecture
was offered to students of pharmaceutical sciences during the winter semester 2006/07
and subsequently evaluated. The results of the application of the methods and the
evaluation validated the derived methods with reservations. The consideration to use
these methods for the preparation of other lectures is supported, if learning materials
of high quality are not yet available.