Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 10, Issue 1, Article 1 (June, 2009) Samson Madera NASHON & David ANDERSON & Wendy S. NIELSEN An instructional challenge through problem solving for physics teacher candidates Contents Next

An instructional challenge through problem solving for physics teacher candidates

 

Samson Madera NASHON¹, David ANDERSON¹ and Wendy S. NIELSEN²

¹Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy Faculty of Education University of British Columbia
2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC CANADA V6T 1Z4

Email: samson.nashon@ubc.ca
Email: david.anderson@ubc.ca

²Faculty of Education University of Wollongong
Wollongong, New South Wales 2522 AUSTRALIA

Email: nielsenw@gmail.com

Received 11 Mar., 2009
Revised 20 Jun., 2009

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Contents

• Abstract
• Background
  • Teacher Learning Through Socialization
  • The Role of Prior Knowledge
  • Connection Between Mathematics and Physics
• The Study
  • The problem
• Results
  • Table 1. Solution Approaches
  • Table 2. Frequency Distribution of Solution Approaches, by Year
• Discussion
  • Problem Solving Strategies and Prior Knowledge
  • Candidates' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)
  • Noise-Laden Strategies
  • Teacher Learning and Socialization
  • Modeling pedagogy
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• References

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Abstract

The teaching of science, especially at pre-college and teacher education levels has undergone tremendous transformation over the years: from teacher-centred transmission to student-centred approaches rooted in constructivism. Whereas constructivism has been charged with all manner of shortfalls, it still can be of benefit to the way physics instructions are organized and implemented. In this paper, the importance of learners' prior knowledge in understanding physics concepts is discussed. This study comprised a case of two cohorts of physics teacher candidates who had strong content knowledge of physics, but lacked pedagogical knowledge as demonstrated by their struggles to implement appropriate grade-level strategies in physics problem solving tasks (which are amenable to a variety of mathematical tool-choices). The case cohorts were used as exemplars to underscore the importance of learners' prior mathematical knowledge. Thus, the paper is concluded by focusing on implications for pre-service teacher preparation, and the effects mathematical tool-choice can bear on their students' conceptions.

Keywords: constructivism, physics teacher, problem solving