Towards a dynamic model of learners' ontologies in physics

In a series of well-known papers, Chi and Slotta (Chi & Slotta, 1993; Chi, Slotta & de Leeuw, 1994; Chi, 2005; Slotta & Chi, 2006) have suggested that one reason for students' difficulties in learning physics is that they think about concepts in terms of 'things' rather than 'processes', and that there is a significant barrier between these two 'ontological categories'. We contest this work in two ways: (1) it reflects a misunderstanding of expert knowledge, and (2) reasoning by experts and novices often traverses ontological categories in both professional and everyday contexts. We cite examples from research articles as well as classroom discussions to illustrate that experts as well as novices hop across ontological boundaries to make sense of physical phenomenon. This suggests a dynamic context-dependent model of a person's ontological view. To promote one ontological description in physics instruction, as suggested by Slotta and Chi, could suppress an essential skill for the development of expertise.