Multiple Representations in Physics Education

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

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2. Multiple Representations in Physics and Science Education – Why Should We Use Them?

   • Maria Opfermann, Annett Schmeck, Hans E. Fischer

   Pages 1-22

3. Multiple Representations: Focus On Models and Analogies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 23-24

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   2. Teaching and Learning Representations in Upper Secondary Physics

      • Per Morten Kind, Carl Angell, Øystein Guttersrud

      Pages 25-45

   3. Integrating Computational Artifacts into the Multi-representational Toolkit of Physics Education

      • Brian E. Gravel, Michelle H. Wilkerson

      Pages 47-70

   4. Evaluating Multiple Analogical Representations from Students’ Perceptions

      • Jing-Wen Lin, Mei-Hung Chiu

      Pages 71-91

4. Multiple Representations Focus On Different Approaches and Conditions

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 93-94

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   2. Social Semiotics in University Physics Education

      • John Airey, Cedric Linder

      Pages 95-122

   3. Learning Optics with Multiple Representations: Not as Simple as Expected

      • Yen-Ruey Kuo, Mihye Won, Marjan Zadnik, Salim Siddiqui, David F. Treagust

      Pages 123-138

   4. Enacting a Representation Construction Approach to Teaching and Learning Astronomy

      • Peter Hubber, Russell Tytler

      Pages 139-161

   5. Learning About Forces Using Multiple Representations

      • Pasi Nieminen, Antti Savinainen, Jouni Viiri

      Pages 163-182

   6. The Conceptual Elements of Multiple Representations: A Study of Textbooks’ Representations of Electric Current

      • Chee Leong Wong, Hye-Eun Chu

      Pages 183-206

5. Multiple Representations: Focus On Reasoning and Representational Competence

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 207-208

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   2. Representational Competence, Understanding of Experiments, Phenomena and Basic Concepts in Geometrical Optics: A Representational Approach

      • Andreas Müller, Rosa Hettmannsperger, Jochen Scheid, Wolfgang Schnotz

      Pages 209-229

   3. Understanding and Promoting Effective Use of Representations in Physics Learning

      • Patrick B. Kohl, Noah Finkelstein

      Pages 231-254

   4. The Role of Representations in Students’ Explanations of Four Phenomena in Physics: Dynamics, Thermal Physics, Electromagnetic Induction and Superposition

      • Jennifer Yeo, John K. Gilbert

      Pages 255-287

   5. Cross Referencing to Co-construct Knowledge About Global Heat Transfer in an Online Learning Environment: Learning with Multiple Visualizations

      • Florence R. Sullivan, W. Richards Adrion, Dave Hart, Christopher N. Hill, Kofi Charu Nat Turner, Jeff Xavier et al.

      Pages 289-310

6. Back Matter

   Pages 311-322

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This volume is important because despite various external representations, such as analogies, metaphors, and visualizations being commonly used by physics teachers, educators and researchers, the notion of using the pedagogical functions of multiple representations to support teaching and learning is still a gap in physics education. The research presented in the three sections of the book is introduced by descriptions of various psychological theories that are applied in different ways for designing physics teaching and learning in classroom settings. The following chapters of the book illustrate teaching and learning with respect to applying specific physics multiple representations in different levels of the education system and in different physics topics using analogies and models, different modes, and in reasoning and representational competence. When multiple representations are used in physics for teaching, the expectation is that they should be successful. To ensure this is the case, the implementation of representations should consider design principles for using multiple representations. Investigations regarding their effect on classroom communication as well as on the learning results in all levels of schooling and for different topics of physics are reported. The book is intended for physics educators and their students at universities and for physics teachers in schools to apply multiple representations in physics in a productive way.

• Analogies in physics
• Cognitive load
• Conceptual change
• Higher order thinking skills
• Learning physics
• Models in physics
• Multi-modal learning
• Multi-modal teaching
• Multiple visualizations
• Physics concepts
• Physics curriculum
• Physics phenomena
• Reasoning skills
• Representational competence
• Scaffolding
• Secondary physics curriculum
• Student assessment
• Student's explanation
• Teaching physics
• University physics curriculum

• Curtin University, Perth, Australia

  David F. Treagust

• Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany

  Reinders Duit

• Universität Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany

  Hans E. Fischer

Policies and ethics