Epistemological Considerations in Teaching Introductory Physics

By David Hammer

Epistemological beliefs are about knowledge and learning. In a physics class, for example, some students might believe learning consists of memorizing facts and formulas provided by the teacher, whereas others might believe it entails applying and modifying their conceptualizations of phenomena. This paper explores, in the context of a debate about velocity from the author's high school physics class, how an epistemological perspective on students' knowledge and reasoning might influence a teacher's perceptions and intentions.

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