ERIC Number: EJ925088
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Jul
Pages: 27
Abstractor: As Provided
Reference Count: 76
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0926-7220
Physics Teaching in the Search for Its Self: From Physics as a Discipline to Physics as a Discipline-Culture
Tseitlin, Michael; Galili, Igal
Science & Education, v14 n3-5 p235-261 Jul 2005
The crisis in physics education necessitates searching for new relevant meanings of physics knowledge. This paper advocates regarding physics as the dialogue among discipline-cultures, rather than as a cluster of disciplines to be an appropriate subject of science education. In a discipline-culture one can distinguish elements of knowledge as belonging to either (1) central principles and paradigms--nucleus, (2) normal disciplinary area--body of knowledge or (3) rival knowledge of the subject--periphery. It appears that Physics cannot be represented as a simple dynamic wholeness, that is, cannot be arranged in a single tripartite (triadic) structure (this result presents a deconstruction), but incorporates several discipline-cultures. Bound together by family similarity, they maintain a conceptual discourse. Teaching physics as a culture is performed in polyphonic space of different worldviews; in other words, it is performed in a Kontrapunkt. Implications of the tripartite code are suggested with regard to representation of scientific revolutions, individual conceptual change, physics curricula and the typology of students learning science.
Descriptors: Intellectual Disciplines, Physics, Science Instruction, Scientific Principles, Scientific Concepts, Science Curriculum, Concept Formation, Classification
Springer. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: service-ny@springer.com; Web site: http://www.springerlink.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

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