Cedric Linder

Language and the experience of learning university physics in Sweden

This qualitative study explores the relationship between the lecturing language (English or Swedish) and the related learning experiences of 22 undergraduate physics students at two Swedish universities. Students attended lectures in both English and Swedish as part of their regular undergraduate programme. These lectures were videotaped and students were then interviewed about their learning experiences using selected excerpts of the video in a process of stimulated recall. The study finds that although the students initially report no difference in their experience of learning physics when taught in Swedish or English, there are in fact some important differences which become apparent during stimulated recall. The pedagogical implications of these differences are discussed.

Exploring the role of physics representations : an illustrative example from students sharing knowledge about refraction

Research has shown that interactive engagement enhances student learning outcomes. A growing body of research suggests that the representations we use in physics are important in such learning envi ...

Using a Variation Approach to Enhance Physics Learning in a College Classroom.

This article describes an exploration into improving the process and the outcome of learning in interactive teaching at the first-year university physics level, using what is becoming widely known as the “variation approach to learning.” To explore this approach we chose an area of mechanics that is widely known to pose learning difficulties for students—Newtons third law. Test and interview data provided compelling evidence that explicit use of variation made a difference in student learning outcomes.

Beyond Lesson Studies and Design Experiments: Using theoretical tools in practice and finding out how they work

This paper aims to illustrate how fruitful insights into the link between school teaching practice and student learning outcomes can be theoretically grounded by the variation theory from the field of phenomenography; and from this framework demonstrate how a pedagogy of awareness can be implemented in the classroom. In this study, five teachers and 162 students at Primary Four level of school education in Hong Kong participated and the practice of the learning study was adopted. By comparing the results of pre- and posttests, a significant gain was observed in the students learning outcomes.

Probability as a conceptual hurdle to understanding one-dimensional quantum scattering and tunnelling

This paper draws on part of a larger project looking at university students learning difficulties associated with quantum mechanics. Here an unexpected and interesting aspect was brought to the fore while students were discussing a computer simulation of one-dimensional quantum scattering and tunnelling. In these explanations the most dominant conceptual hurdle that emerged in the students explanations was centred around the notion of probability. To explore this further, categories of description of the variation in the understanding of probability were constituted. The analysis reported is done in terms of the various facets of probability encountered in the simulation and characterizes dynamics of this conceptual hurdle to appropriate understanding of the scattering and tunnelling process. Pedagogical implications are discussed.

Enhancing the possibilities for learning: variation of disciplinary-relevant aspects in physics representations

In this theoretical article we propose three factors that can enhance the possibilities for learning physics from representations, namely: (1) the identification of disciplinary-relevant aspects for a particular disciplinary task, such as solving a physics problem or explaining a phenomenon, (2) the selection of appropriate representations that showcase these disciplinary-relevant aspects, and (3) the creation of variation within the selected representations to help students notice these disciplinary-relevant aspects and the ways in which they are related to each other. An illustration of how these three factors can guide teachers in their efforts to promote physics learning is presented.

Towards addressing transient learning challenges in undergraduate physics: an example from electrostatics

In this article we characterize transient learning challenges as learning challenges that arise out of teaching situations rather than conflicts with prior knowledge. We propose that these learning ...

On the Methodology of ‘Phenomenography’ As A Science Education Research Tool

The contributors to this symposium have performed phenomenographic research in different projects. Their epistemology as well as their philosophy of science did more or less differ. It was the scope of this symposium to discuss whether this can be an obstacle or may lead to fruitful debates. After brief descriptions on the methodology of the research performed, 3 questions were discussed: (a) Is it appropriate to“borrow” and use phenomenography methods in non-phenomenological research contexts? (b) Is it justifiable to substitute the term ‘experience’ used in phenomenography by ‘understanding’, or ‘conception’? (c) How can we secure validity of phenomenographic research?

Physics Students' Social Media Learning Behaviours and Connectedness

Drawing on a complexity thinking perspective on learning, the conditions of emergence for complex systems were used as an analytic framework to characterize social media learning behaviours for their potential to promote connectedness. The authors analysis identifies trends in secondary and tertiary physics students social media use from focus group interview data and characterizes the nature of these behaviours for their potential to benefit students understanding of the content of science curricula. While the authors study focuses on physics learning, they propose implications that extend to other science learning contexts vis-a-vis how to transform connectivity learning behaviours into connectedness learning behaviours.

SimChemistry as an active learning tool in chemical education

The publicly available free computer program, SimChemistry, was used as an active learning tool in the chemical engineering curriculum at the University College of Boras, Sweden. The activity involved students writing their own simulation programs on topics in the area of molecular structure and interactions. Evaluation of the learning experience was done using interviews and by comparing learning outcomes with previous teachings of the topics. Overall, the outcome was interactively engaging group work, high quality construction of simulations, and a much better ability to explain molecular-level chemical concepts and their relations. An interesting perception that emerged during the interviews was that many of the students were unable to explicitly describe the improvement in learning that they had experienced. However, they did recognize that learning had occurred, and all firmly and positively recommended that the initiative be continued for subsequent courses.