PERC 2025 Abstract Detail Page
Previous Page | New Search | Browse All
| Abstract Title: | An Ideology of Disembodiment in Physics Teaching and Learning |
|---|---|
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
| Abstract: | We argue that an ideology of disembodiment--which assumes that bodies are separate from and inferior to minds--is prevalent in physics pedagogy. In this paper, we define an ideology of disembodiment in physics teaching and learning, with respect to (1) its view of learning as primarily a cognitive process, (2) its goal of recreating canonical understandings and "objective" habits of mind, and (3) its effect of limiting relationalities between people in the classroom. We illustrate these facets of disembodiment using an analysis of an introductory physics classroom interaction and interviews with focal students. Our findings highlight that an ideology of disembodiment is spatially ingrained in physics classrooms, being played out reflexively by students and the instructors. Our study challenges characterizations of what seem like normal and typical or even productive interactions and strategies in physics class and points out that these interactions often reflect potentially harmful and unjust relationalities. |
| Session Time: | Poster Session A |
| Poster Number: | A-102 |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Tra Huynh Western Washington University Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 9713309614 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Amy D. Robertson (she/her), Seattle Pacific University Verónica N. Vélez (she/her), Western Washington Univeristy Lauren C. Bauman (she/her), Western Washington University |
