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The Variation of University Physics Students’ Experience of Plus and Minus Signs in 1D Vector-kinematics Revisited

Eriksson, Moa LU orcid ; Euler, Elias LU ; Linder, Cedric LU ; Eriksson, Urban LU orcid and Govender, Nadaraj (2022) In African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 26(1). p.63-76
Abstract

This article revisits and expands upon a previous phenomenographic study characterising the qualitatively different ways in which South African undergraduate physics students may experience the use of +/– signs in one-dimensional kinematics (1DK). We find the original categorisation as applicable for interpreting Swedish university-level students’ responses to 1DK questions. However, by way of a typology of potential learning outcomes associated with +/– signs in 1DK, our review of the topic reveals that the original study’s treatment misses the implications of +/– signs related to time rate of change and graphical shape. We also add to the description of students’ experience of +/– signs in 1DK by incorporating ideas from the Variation... (More)

This article revisits and expands upon a previous phenomenographic study characterising the qualitatively different ways in which South African undergraduate physics students may experience the use of +/– signs in one-dimensional kinematics (1DK). We find the original categorisation as applicable for interpreting Swedish university-level students’ responses to 1DK questions. However, by way of a typology of potential learning outcomes associated with +/– signs in 1DK, our review of the topic reveals that the original study’s treatment misses the implications of +/– signs related to time rate of change and graphical shape. We also add to the description of students’ experience of +/– signs in 1DK by incorporating ideas from the Variation Theory of Learning and by focusing on some of the aspects of +/– signs in 1DK that were underemphasized in the original study. Our analysis thus provides a template for physics educators to support students’ conceptual understanding of sign conventions in vector kinematics.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
algebraic signs, disciplinary-relevant aspects, Introductory-level physics, patterns of variation, variation theory of learning
in
African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education
volume
26
issue
1
pages
63 - 76
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85134385631
ISSN
1811-7295
DOI
10.1080/18117295.2022.2091327
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a308b0c3-f4ee-49a9-8905-4a3713ef1d87
date added to LUP
2022-09-13 14:14:49
date last changed
2022-10-31 14:58:28
@article{a308b0c3-f4ee-49a9-8905-4a3713ef1d87,
  abstract     = {{<p>This article revisits and expands upon a previous phenomenographic study characterising the qualitatively different ways in which South African undergraduate physics students may experience the use of +/– signs in one-dimensional kinematics (1DK). We find the original categorisation as applicable for interpreting Swedish university-level students’ responses to 1DK questions. However, by way of a typology of potential learning outcomes associated with +/– signs in 1DK, our review of the topic reveals that the original study’s treatment misses the implications of +/– signs related to time rate of change and graphical shape. We also add to the description of students’ experience of +/– signs in 1DK by incorporating ideas from the Variation Theory of Learning and by focusing on some of the aspects of +/– signs in 1DK that were underemphasized in the original study. Our analysis thus provides a template for physics educators to support students’ conceptual understanding of sign conventions in vector kinematics.</p>}},
  author       = {{Eriksson, Moa and Euler, Elias and Linder, Cedric and Eriksson, Urban and Govender, Nadaraj}},
  issn         = {{1811-7295}},
  keywords     = {{algebraic signs; disciplinary-relevant aspects; Introductory-level physics; patterns of variation; variation theory of learning}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{63--76}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education}},
  title        = {{The Variation of University Physics Students’ Experience of Plus and Minus Signs in 1D Vector-kinematics Revisited}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2022.2091327}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/18117295.2022.2091327}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}