The Nature and Role of Thought Experiments in Solving Conceptual Physics Problems

Date

2014-04-01

Author

Kosem, Sule Donertas
Özdemir, Ömer Faruk

Metadata

Show full item record

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Item Usage Stats

240
views

0
downloads

This study describes the possible variations of thought experiments in terms of their nature, purpose, and reasoning resources adopted during the solution of conceptual physics problems. A phenomenographic research approach was adopted for this study. Three groups of participants with varying levels of physics knowledge-low, medium, and high level-were selected in order to capture potential variations. Five participants were selected within each level group and the study was conducted with fifteen participants in total. Think aloud and retrospective questioning strategies were used throughout the individually conducted problem solving sessions to capture variations in the participants' thinking processes. The analysis of the data showed that thought experiments were actively used cognitive tools by participants from all there levels while working on the problems. Four different thought experiment structures were observed and categorized as limiting case, extreme case, simple case, and familiar case. It was also observed that participants conducted thought experiments for different purposes such as prediction, proof, and explanation. The reasoning resources behind the thought experiment processes were classified in terms of observed facts, intuitive principles, and scientific concepts. The results of the analysis suggested that thought experiments used as a creative reasoning tool for scientists can also be a productive tool for students. It was argued that instructional practices enriched with thought experiments and related practices not only reveal hidden elements of students' reasoning but also provide students opportunities to advance their inquiry skills through thought experimentation processes.

Subject Keywords

Education

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/41809

Journal

SCIENCE & EDUCATION

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-013-9635-0

Collections

Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Article

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

The Contribution of Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategy Use to Students Science Achievement Akyol, Gülsüm; Öztekin, Ceren; Sungur, Semra (Informa UK Limited, 2010-01-01) This study examined the differences in the level of 7th-grade Turkish students' cognitive and metacognitive strategy use (rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation) in science and investigated the contribution of cognitive and metacognitive strategy use to students' science achievement. The present study also explored the relationships between students' background characteristics (gender, prior knowledge, socioeconomic status) and their cognitive and metacogn...
Learner-friendly textbooks: Chemistry texts based on a constructivist view of learning Tasdelen, Ugur; KÖSEOĞLU, FİTNAT (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2008-04-01) In this study, the use of inquiry methods, learning cycles, a conceptual change model and analogy in creating alternative science texts was discussed. An alternative text on the topic of acids and bases was created by integrating the methods and models discussed in this paper. The alternative text and a sample of a traditional text taken from a textbook, which is still used in Turkish high schools, were given to two groups, totaling 42 pre-service teachers-the alternative text was given to an experimental g...
Exploring representation of nature of science aspects in science textbooks Yamak, Yeliz; Çakıroğlu, Jale; Department of Elementary Science and Mathematics Education (2009) The aim of this study was to examine middle school science textbooks according to some criteria in terms of nature of science (NOS). A total of three middle school science textbooks in 6th, 7th and 8th grade and two biology units were analyzed in each textbook. In the 6th grade science textbooks, “Reproduction, Development and Growth in Living Beings”and “Systems in Our Body” units, in the 7th grade science textbook, “Systems in Our Body” and “Human and Environment” units, in the 8th grade science textbook,...
The Comparative Effects of Prediction/Discussion-Based Learning Cycle, Conceptual Change Text, and Traditional Instructions on Student Understanding of Genetics Yilmaz, Diba; Öztekin, Ceren; Sungur, Semra (Informa UK Limited, 2011-01-01) The present study examined the comparative effects of a prediction/discussion-based learning cycle, conceptual change text (CCT), and traditional instructions on students' understanding of genetics concepts. A quasi-experimental research design of the pre-test-post-test non-equivalent control group was adopted. The three intact classes, taught by the same science teacher, were randomly assigned as prediction/discussion-based learning cycle class (N = 30), CCT class (N = 25), and traditional class (N = 26). ...
A study on the nature and frequency of the interaction and the factors affecting interaction in language classrooms Zengin, Emine; Kiraz, Ercan; Department of Educational Sciences (2008) The purpose of this study was to describe and explore the nature and frequency of the interaction and the factors affecting interaction in language classrooms. This qualitative study was conducted in a private language course in Ankara, Turkey. The sample consisted of 6 teachers. The data were collected through video-camera, semi-structred interview and demographic information log. To tackle the complexity of the raw data, data were first subjected to constant comparison analysis. Second, all results were t...

Citation Formats

S. D. Kosem and Ö. F. Özdemir, “The Nature and Role of Thought Experiments in Solving Conceptual Physics Problems,” SCIENCE & EDUCATION, pp. 865–895, 2014, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/41809.