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Journal of the Learning Sciences
written by Ayush Gupta, David Hammer, and Edward F. Redish
In a series of well-known papers, Chi and Slotta have contended that a reason for students' difficulties in learning physics is that they think about concepts as things rather than as processes, and that there is a significant barrier between these two ontological categories. We contest this view, arguing that expert and novice reasoning often and productively traverses ontological categories. We cite examples from everyday, classroom, and professional contexts to illustrate this. We agree with Chi and Slotta that instruction should attend to learners' ontologies; but we find these ontologies are better understood as dynamic and context-dependent, rather than as static constraints. To promote one ontological description in physics instruction, as suggested by Slotta and Chi, could undermine novices' access to productive cognitive resources they bring to their studies and inhibit their transition to the dynamic ontological flexibility required of experts.
Journal of the Learning Sciences: Volume 19, Issue 3, Pages 285-321
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education - Basic Research
- Cognition
= Cognition Development
- Learning Theory
= Cognitive Modeling
- Problem Solving
= Expert-Novice Comparisons
General Physics
- Scientific Reasoning
- Graduate/Professional
- Lower Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Article
= Research study
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non-digital
application/pdf
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Mirror:
https://arxiv.org/abs/0802.4278
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Available by subscription and
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Restriction:
© 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
DOI:
10.1080/10508406.2010.491751
NSF Numbers:
0440113
0524987
Keywords:
current, light bulb, quantum tunneling, resistance
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created August 1, 2012 by Zachary Davis
Record Updated:
July 27, 2015 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
March 1, 2010
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Record Link
AIP Format
A. Gupta, D. Hammer, and E. Redish, , J. Learn. Sci. 19 (3), 285 (2010), WWW Document, (https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2010.491751).
AJP/PRST-PER
A. Gupta, D. Hammer, and E. Redish, The Case for Dynamic Models of Learners' Ontologies in Physics, J. Learn. Sci. 19 (3), 285 (2010), <https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2010.491751>.
APA Format
Gupta, A., Hammer, D., & Redish, E. (2010, March 1). The Case for Dynamic Models of Learners' Ontologies in Physics. J. Learn. Sci., 19(3), 285-321. Retrieved October 13, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2010.491751
Chicago Format
Gupta, A, D. Hammer, and E. Redish. "The Case for Dynamic Models of Learners' Ontologies in Physics." J. Learn. Sci. 19, no. 3, (March 1, 2010): 285-321, https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2010.491751 (accessed 13 October 2024).
MLA Format
Gupta, Ayush, David Hammer, and Edward F. Redish. "The Case for Dynamic Models of Learners' Ontologies in Physics." J. Learn. Sci. 19.3 (2010): 285-321. 13 Oct. 2024 <https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2010.491751>.
BibTeX Export Format
@article{ Author = "Ayush Gupta and David Hammer and Edward F. Redish", Title = {The Case for Dynamic Models of Learners' Ontologies in Physics}, Journal = {J. Learn. Sci.}, Volume = {19}, Number = {3}, Pages = {285-321}, Month = {March}, Year = {2010} }
Refer Export Format

%A Ayush Gupta %A David Hammer %A Edward F. Redish %T The Case for Dynamic Models of Learners' Ontologies in Physics %J J. Learn. Sci. %V 19 %N 3 %D March 1, 2010 %P 285-321 %U https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2010.491751 %O non-digital

EndNote Export Format

%0 Journal Article %A Gupta, Ayush %A Hammer, David %A Redish, Edward F. %D March 1, 2010 %T The Case for Dynamic Models of Learners' Ontologies in Physics %J J. Learn. Sci. %V 19 %N 3 %P 285-321 %8 March 1, 2010 %U https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2010.491751


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The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

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