How Research Physicists and High-School Physics Teachers Deal with the Scientific Explanation of a Physical Phenomenon.

There is a need to integrate the segregated perspective underlying research on scientific conceptions. Insights from scientists can provide information about the essential components of ideal knowledge. The purpose of this study was to investigate how researchers and teachers deal with scientific explanation. Three research physicists and five secondary physics teachers were asked to explain the Newton's Cradle demonstration. Written answers and follow up interviews were analyzed. All the respondents viewed the events as a series of collisions and related the phenomenon to the concepts of energy and momentum; however the arguments proposed as explanations differed in depth and in complexity. Results suggest that the differences in performances were related to: (1) the perceived purpose of the explanation and its nature; (2) the number of paradigms invoked for possible ways to describe the events; (3) the specification of assumptions underlying facts or data statements; (4) the examination of assumptions made to determine initial conditions; (5) the choice of variables and unknowns; (6) the proper application of scientific principles; and (7) the assessment of the entire argument in view of the acceptability of the underlying model and assumptions. Contains 29 references. (Author/LZ) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *****************************************************"***************** How Research Physicists and High-SchOol Physics Teachers Deal with the Scientific Explanation of a Physical Phenomenon Judith R Edgington and James P. Barufaldi Science Education Center EDB 340 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas 78712 512-471-7354 E Mail: jurev@tenet.edu "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Ouk.11.-nA 6=1)1 N 63701.1 TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." U.11. 01PRITTRINT OP 10MCATION 0c ot Educator. Rstch and Interowmnt EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Intl OCurI hes been reetodoced ee mewed Item Ih Deleon 01 otommenon otonebng .t Moot Menges nave been made to WMare reforOduCtio WW1, Poems et view a eentant Rated tot due dm mem do not nematode reagent 0/1410 OEM passion of RAO Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching San Francisco, April 22 25, 1995