Unpacking physics representations: Towards an appreciation of disciplinary affordance
Date
2014Author
Tobias Fredlund, Tobias
Linder, Cedric
Airey, John
Linder, Anne
Metadata
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This theoretical article problematizes the access to disciplinary knowledge that different physics
representations have the possibility to provide; that is, their disciplinary affordances. It is argued that
historically such access has become increasingly constrained for students as physics representations have
been rationalized over time. Thus, the case is made that such rationalized representations, while powerful
for communication from a disciplinary point of view, manifest as learning challenges for students. The
proposal is illustrated using a vignette from a student discussion in the physics laboratory about circuit
connections for an experimental investigation of the charging and discharging of a capacitor. It is concluded
that in order for students to come to appreciate the disciplinary affordances of representations, more
attention needs to be paid to their “unpacking.” Building on this conclusion, two questions are proposed
that teachers can ask themselves in order to begin to unpack the representations that they use in their
teaching. The paper ends by proposing directions for future research in this area