The Variation of University Physics Students’ Experience of Plus and Minus Signs in 1D Vector-kinematics Revisited
(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
- Eriksson, Moa LU ; Euler, Elias LU ; Linder, Cedric LU ; Eriksson, Urban LU and Govender, Nadaraj
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022
- 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}}, }