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Students’ operations with the weight concept
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Metadata
Title
Students' operations with the weight concept
Abstract
This study analyzes the operational knowledge of the weight concept of high school students after two educational levels: Introductory and advanced physics courses. The results show that most of the students at both levels construct alternative understanding of weight, which can be represented in operational schemes. The study shows that apparent and true weight concepts are poorly assimilated by most of the advanced placement students. Students' confusion is interpreted as reflecting the misfit of the weight concept image by students and the weight concept definition currently adopted by most of U.S. physics textbooks and identifying weight with the gravitational force. The origins of the shortcomings of the alternative knowledge about weight are listed and discussed. An alternative, operational definition of weight, separating it from the gravitational action at a distance, might be preferable in the educational context. Students' intuitive weight considerations have close historical parallels, which could elucidate the epistemological roots of their alternative knowledge.
Date
01/01/1996
Citation
Galili, I., & Kaplan, D. (1996). Students’ operations with the weight concept. Science Education, 80(4), 457–487. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-237X(199607)80:4<457::AID-SCE5>3.0.CO;2-C
Type of Publication
Author(s)
Galili, Igal | Kaplan, Dov
Methodology
Research Setting
Target Group
Students > Middle School Students | Students > Secondary School Students
Institution(s)
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Journal Name
Science Education
Peer-Reviewed Status
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons
Volume
80
Issue Number
4
ISSN
1098-237X
Resource Type
Nation(s) of Study
Israel | United States of America
Language
English