• Login
    View Item 
    •   NWU-IR Home
    • Research Output
    • Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
    • View Item
    •   NWU-IR Home
    • Research Output
    • Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Alternative conceptions: turning adversity into advantage

    Thumbnail
    Date
    2019
    Author
    Ferreira, Annalize
    Lemmer, Miriam
    Gunstone, Richard
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    While a vast body of research has identified difficulties in students’ understanding about forces and acceleration and their related alternative conceptions, far less research suggests ways to use students’ alternative conceptions to enhance conceptual understanding of a specific fundamental concept. This study focused on distinguishing between students’ conceptual understanding of the Newtonian concept of gravitational acceleration being the same for all objects and students’ alternative conception that heavy objects fall faster. A multiple choice questionnaire was distributed to first year physics students for three consecutive years at a university in South Africa. The results indicate that changing the direction of motion and the physics quantity asked in paired questions revealed practically significant inconsistencies in students’ reasoning and conceptions. This research contributes to the body of knowledge in proposing how the alternative conception of mass-related gravitational acceleration can be used in instruction to enhance conceptual understanding of the force–mass–acceleration relationship. Understanding of this relationship not only promotes conceptual understanding of the basic Newtonian concepts of the laws of motion which forms the critical foundation on which more advanced physics courses are built, but also contributes towards students’ perception of physics as a set of coherent ideas applicable in all contexts
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10394/25487
    https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11165-017-9638-y
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-017-9638-y
    Collections
    • Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences [4788]

    Copyright © North-West University
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV
     

     

    Browse

    All of NWU-IR Communities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsAdvisor/SupervisorThesis TypeThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsAdvisor/SupervisorThesis Type

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Copyright © North-West University
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV