Rolling Balls or Trapping Ions? How Students Relate Models to Real-World Phenomena in the Physics Laboratory

Autor/inn/en	Kilde Löfgren, Sebastian; Weidow, Jonathan; Enger, Jonas
Titel	Rolling Balls or Trapping Ions? How Students Relate Models to Real-World Phenomena in the Physics Laboratory
Quelle	In: Science Education, 107 (2023) 5, S.1215-1237 (23 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Kilde Löfgren, Sebastian)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0036-8326
DOI	10.1002/sce.21802
Schlagwörter	Physics; Science Instruction; Laboratory Experiments; Learning Processes; Models; Secondary School Students; Design; Intervention; Learning Theories + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Physik; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Laboratory work; Laborarbeit; Learning process; Lernprozess; Analogiemodell; Sekundarschüler; Learning theory; Lerntheorie
Abstract	The creation and use of models in science is of great importance for knowledge production and communication. For example, toy models are often used as idealized explanatory models in physics education. Models can be a powerful tool for exploring phenomena in ways that facilitate learning. However, careful consideration of instruction and explanations needs to be considered to guide how students relate models to real-world phenomena in subject-correct ways. A design experiment was conducted to investigate how upper secondary school students can use models for learning in the physics laboratory. The intervention used in the study was a laboratory exercise developed over three phases where students worked with a mechanical Paul trap and a simulation to understand the principle behind a real Paul trap. Each phase of the study consisted of three to five laboratory sessions. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis and the learning process was understood using the theoretical framework of variation theory. From the results, it was possible to identify patterns of variation for successful lab groups and critical aspects and features students need to discern to effectively modelize the mechanical Paul trap. The findings also indicate that having students work with models can be a meaningful clarificatory process to develop a deeper understanding of the use and limitations of models in science. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01