Using Conceptual Metaphor and Functional Grammar to Explore How Language Used in Physics Affects Student Learning.

By D. Brookes, Eugenia Etkina. 2007

136 citations recorded by the source corpus.

This paper introduces a theory about the role of language in learning physics. The theory is developed in the context of physics students' and physicists' talking and writing about the subject of quantum mechanics. We found that physicists' language encodes different varieties of analogical models through the use of grammar and conceptual metaphor. We hypothesize that students categorize concepts into ontological categories based on the grammatical structure of physicists' language. We also hypothesize that students over-extend and misapply conceptual metaphors in physicists' speech and writing. Using our theory, we will show how, in some cases, we can explain student difficulties in quantum mechanics as difficulties with language.

Subfields: Developmental and Educational Psychology, Education, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/0290ca3d47bb8e02b4015251163aa9171d747025

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In Developmental and Educational Psychology

In Education

In Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Citations in the corpus

Healing, Mental Energy in the Physics Classroom: Energy Conceptions and Trust in Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Grade 10–12 Students (2013, result): “Thus, the present data are in line with the observation that students might take substance metaphors too literally (Brookes and Etkina 2007).”
Conceptual Metaphor Meets Conceptual Change (2009, background): “This knowledge-in-pieces or knowledge systems view shifts attention to a subconceptual level of knowledge representation at which continuity between the novice and the expert can be identified [diSessa, 1983, 1988, 1993, 2002; diSessa, Elby, & Hammer, 2003; diSessa & Sherin, 1998; diSessa & Wagner,…”
Synthesis of Discipline-Based Education Research in Physics. (2014, methodology): “students’ understanding of the language of physics is only now beginning to be explored [461,462]; similar situations exist with areas such as memory and perception research, and with promising methodologies, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), wher”
Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering. (2012, background): “Another line of physics education research has shown that making symbols more transparent to students helps them apply concepts and solve problems (Brookes and Etkina, 2007).”