PERC 2010 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Physics Learning as the Objectification of Discourse |
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| Abstract: | In research on disciplinary knowledge, language is often treated as a communication medium rather than as a legitimate part of cognition. Both language and concepts are involved in the learning process, yet they are almost impossible to analytically distinguish from one another. I tackle this problem head-on using the notion of objectification of discourse to define the development of conceptual understanding. Objectification of discourse is the process that begins as an interpersonal affair and as a result, turns into a matter of one's relation with the human-independent world. This Vygotskian perspective integrates elements of a behaviorist perspective and can shed light on how learners come to understand, and participate in, the Discourse of physics. Using a video snippet from a Physics and Everyday Thinking class, I will illustrate early phases of this learning process and demonstrate the interpersonal focus of students' discourse and highlight how this leads to scientific, mechanistic reasoning. |
| Abstract Type: | Targeted Poster |
| Targeted Session: | Out of One, Many; Five Researchers Analyze the Same Student Video |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Valerie K. Otero University of Colorado at Boulder School of Education, Room 317 University of Colorado at Boulder Boulder, CO 80309-0249 Phone: 303-492-7403 |
