Research on Developing Curriculum and Instructional Strategies for Physics Teaching: Exploring the Representation and Etymology of Physics Terminology in Mechanics

  • Chiu, Yun-Ju (PI)

Project: National Science and Technology CouncilNational Science and Technology Council Academic Grants

Project Details

Abstract

Physical terminologies have a strong influence on the process of absorbing physical conception. Chinese physical terminologies main come from two stages: translations by Jesuits and Chinese scholars in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and by returned scholars from Japan after the First Sino- Japanese War. Therefore, investigating the details of the translation and evolution of physical terminology is of great significance for studying students’ misconceptions. Based on my past research, I will proceed to explore the representations and etymology of mechanics terminology in teaching and learning physics. The study will focus on the concept of acceleration, the expression of Newton’s motion laws, and so on from three perspectives: (1) The translation and evolution of Chinese physical terminology in the translated textbooks during the Ming-Qing period; (2) the etymology of these physical terminology; (3) the impact on teaching and learning from the representation of the physical terminology. In this study, interviews with high school students and teachers together with the analysis of questions designed to probe students’ understanding will be applied to figure out key problems and effective cognitive conflict strategies to strengthen the development of professional teaching, clarify student’s misunderstanding, and improve the context of physics textbooks.

Project IDs

Project ID:PF10607-1678
External Project ID:MOST106-2511-S182-004
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date01/08/1731/07/18

Keywords

  • physical terminology
  • etymology
  • textbook
  • misconception
  • acceleration

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