Abstract
Media use has so far hardly been described in a subject-specific manner. In previous studies, the focus was either on equipment and use in general and thus less on the situation in individual subjects; or on subject-specific descriptions for only single media. From a science education perspective, however, the subject-specific function of media for teaching and learning is significant. This deficit takes up a heuristic of media use, which among other things considers the deep structure of media use. In this article first indications for such didactic potential of media are presented. By comparing different exemplary media between biology, chemistry, and physics, earlier results, e.g for hardware, are extended. The availability and use of models and digital media are examined. Subject specifics arise in certain teaching situations that can be interpreted as evidence for the proposed heuristic.