Alternative conceptions in Galilean relativity: frames of reference

Panse, Sudhir V.; Ramadas, Jayashree; Kumar, Arvind

doi:10.1080/0950069940160105

Cited by 37 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…30 The belief that each observer constitutes a distinct reference frame is similar to the belief documented in Galilean contexts in Ref. 4. The authors describe a tendency of students to treat the ext ent of an observer's reference frame as limited to the physical object on which the observer is located (e.g., the deck of a boat).…”

mentioning

confidence: 63%

“…Several advanced undergraduate students and a few advanced graduate students also participated. In the interviews, we were able to probe student thinking in Student understanding of time in special relativity Scherr, et al 4 greater depth than is possible with short written questions. The interviews were audiotaped or videotaped and transcribed for later analysis.…”

Section: B Research Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In many cases, the research tasks used (e.g., multiple -choice questions or single questions given to a small number of students) do not provide the kinds of insights that are necessary to understand the prevalent modes of student reasoning and to develop effective Students claim that a body can "emerge" from the reference frame of an object by leaving the vicinity of the obje ct (e.g., "a ball can be thrown to 'go outside' a reference frame"). 4 An investigation by Saltiel and Malgrange has identified difficulties with relative motion among eleven-year-oldchildren and first-and fourth-year university students in France. 5 The three groups showed little difference in error rates to written questions.…”

Section: Prior Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Student understanding of time in special relativity: Simultaneity and reference frames

Scherr

Shaffer

Vokos

2001

American Journal of Physics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article reports on an investigation of student understanding of the concept of time in special relativity. A series of research tasks are discussed that illustrate, step-by-step, how student reasoning of fundamental concepts of relativity was probed. The results indicate that after standard instruction students at all academic levels have serious difficulties with the relativity of simultaneity and with the role of observers in inertial reference frames. Evidence is presented that suggests many students construct a conceptual framework in which the ideas of absolute simultaneity and the relativity of simultaneity harmoniously co-exist.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 63%

Section: B Research Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Prior Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Student understanding of time in special relativity: Simultaneity and reference frames

Scherr

Shaffer

Vokos

2001

American Journal of Physics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…One student said, "They leave this system and the earth is the other system, isn"t it?" This is a misunderstanding also described by Panse et al (1994). In this group discussion it can be discussed if this really is a misunderstanding or if the student just did not express himself in a correct physical manner.…”

Section: A Test Of Length Contraction?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They found that students most often do not spontaneously recognize that simultaneity is relative. Frames of reference are important in special relativity and Panse, Ramadas and Kumar (1994) investigated how students handled these conceptual tools.…”

Section: Learning Physics Conceptsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning Physics in Small-Group Discussions – Three Examples

Benckert

Pettersson

2008

EURASIA J MATH SCI T

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article reports on an investigation of students learning of physics during group discussions around context-rich problems in introductory physics courses at university level. We present the results from video recordings of student groups solving three different problems. We found that group discussions around physics problems can lead to stimulating and learning discussions of physics but we also observed situations when the discussions did not work well. Misunderstandings of physics concepts reported in the literature emerge in the discussions now and then but the students also detect new "problems". In the discussions most misunderstandings and problems are treated and solved either by the students themselves or by the students together with the teacher. Factors that stimulate a good discussion are engaging problems and a teacher at hand to answer questions and to discuss with the students. Factors that prevent a fruitful discussion are too little knowledge of the actual physics among the students and bad functioning of the groups.

show abstract