Teacher knowledge: modeling free fall or modeling theoretical model?

Authors

  • José Manuel Ruvalcaba Cervantes
  • Ricardo Quintero Zazueta

Keywords:

Teacher knowledge, Free fall, Modelling, Physics teachers, Galileo Galilei

Abstract

We focus on reflecting on teaching ideas about free fall. We interviewed secondary school physics teachers using Galileo Galilei's
thought experiment on bodies falling from the top of the Tower of Pisa. We found that teachers build mental models that refer to (1)
the Galilean theoretical model as absolute truth, (2) to free fall itself, and (3) to the Galilean model as personal construction. Each
teacher builds their model according to their understanding; teachers think, problematize, and validate their models based on didactic experiences and previous knowledge. The teaching ideas are similar in content to the ideas of free fall in their historical origin but epistemologically differ because are validated from the didactic experience

Downloads

Published

2022-12-21

Issue

Section

Trabajos presentados a SIEF

How to Cite

Teacher knowledge: modeling free fall or modeling theoretical model?. (2022). Journal of Physics Teaching, 34, 283-288. https://revistas.unc.edu.ar/index.php/revistaEF/article/view/39738