Student and expert perceptions of the role of mathematics within physics

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorWilson, Marcus T.
dc.date.accessioned2015-01-23T01:18:08Z
dc.date.available2014
dc.date.available2015-01-23T01:18:08Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.description.abstractStudents’ perceptions of the role of mathematics within physics were examined. I propose that the identification of physics as a science based ultimately on experiment is a threshold concept: transformation from a naïve view that physics is based upon mathematics to an expert view that physics is based on experiment is difficult for students. Seven students taking first-year university physics were interviewed in two focus groups; nine practising physicists from academia and industry (considered as experts) were interviewed as six individuals plus one focus group of three participants. Of particular interest was the ‘expert’ view emphasizing the conceptual nature of physics. This was a threshold in understanding that had not been crossed by students. Rather, students viewed mathematics and physics as being more strongly connected than did practising physicists; specifically that “maths explains physics”. Experts consider this view as holding back a student’s understanding of the subject and preventing them from becoming effective physicists. It is troublesome to students because they are less able to identify the relevant concepts before trying to tackle a problem with mathematics, making their approach less likely to be effective, however, both groups (physicists and students) identified physics as belonging to ‘the real world’ and that mathematics shows how physical entities can be combined or related, indicating student responses are not completely naïve. Opinions on how best to teach mathematical concepts in physics varied considerably across participants.
dc.format.extent93 - 103 (11)
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.citationWilson, M. T. (2014). Student and expert perceptions of the role of mathematics within physics. Waikato Journal of Education, 19(2), 93–103.en
dc.identifier.issn1173-6135
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10289/9078
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of Waikato School of Education
dc.relation.isPartOfWaikato Journal of Education
dc.rightsThis article has been published in the journal: Waikato Journal of Education. Used with permission.
dc.subjectphysics
dc.subjectmathematics
dc.subjectscience
dc.subjecttertiary education
dc.subjectthreshold concepts
dc.titleStudent and expert perceptions of the role of mathematics within physics
dc.typeJournal Article
pubs.begin-page93
pubs.declined2015-01-19T11:12:08.325+1300
pubs.deleted2015-01-19T11:12:08.325+1300
pubs.elements-id118994
pubs.end-page103
pubs.issue2
pubs.notesEbsco confirms peer review
pubs.organisational-group/Waikato
pubs.organisational-group/Waikato/FSEN
pubs.organisational-group/Waikato/FSEN/Engineering
pubs.volume19
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Wilson 19012015.pdf
Size:
884.15 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Published version
Thumbnail Image
Name: Wilson 19012015.pdf
Size: 884.15 KB
Kind: Adobe PDF
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Deposit Agreement.txt
Size:
193 B
Format:
Unknown data format
Description:
Name: Deposit Agreement.txt
Size: 193 B
Kind: Unknown
Collections
Education Papers