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This research documents the impact of a teaching interview aimed at developing a critical attitude in students, and focused on a particular topic: radiocarbon dating. This teaching interview is designed to observe students' reaction to limited written explanations of the phenomenon under study, and their possible frustration or intellectual satisfaction in relation to these texts. We aim to document the possible link between students' developing conceptual understanding of a topic and their ability to express their frustration when presented with very incomplete explanations, or their intellectual satisfaction when presented with complete explanation. As a side product, we intend to observe some of their a priori ideas concerning this topic. Ten teaching interviews conducted with fourth-year University students were recorded, transcribed and coded. Beyond a series of results concerning students' a priori understanding of the domain, the analysis of the interviews suggests that, when students are presented with texts of increasing completeness and discuss these with the interviewer, their critical reactions evolve in time in a very specific way. We propose a tentative model for this co-evolution of student conceptual command and critical stance. The discussion bears on possible interpretations for the "anesthesia of judgment" observed in most students at the beginning of the interview, and for a few of them throughout the discussion. Keeping in mind the "competence vs concepts" current alternative, the conditions that seem to free students' critical potential are analyzed in relation to their evolving command of the topic and their degree of intellectual satisfaction.

This research documents the aims and the impact of a teaching experiment concerning colour phenomena. This teaching experiment is designed in order to make students consider not only the spectral composition of light but also its intensity, and to consider the absorption of light by a pigment as relative, instead of as total or zero. Eight teaching interviews conducted with third-year university students were recorded, transcribed and coded. Their analysis suggests that two "anchoring cognitive reactions" were likely to facilitate students' learning in a forthcoming sequence on this theme. It also makes it possible to evaluate the importance of a strong obstacle, that is the interpretation of absorption/transmission curves, or the multiplicative aspect of subtractive synthesis. Finally, the students' comments about their feelings at the end of the interview introduce a brief discussion about the benefits and/or frustration in terms of intellectual satisfaction. (Contains 2 figures, 6 tables, and 2 notes.)

This paper presents an investigation centered on a guided conceptual path concerning magnetic and gravitational fields, proposed for children aged 9-11. The goal is to appreciate to what extent the idea of "mapping" two fields of interaction is accessible and fruitful for children of that age. The conceptual target is to link magnetic and gravitational sources with their respective field lines, and then use this linkage to differentiate between the two kinds of interactions. This study shows that the proposed "mapping" and the differences between the maps are accessible to a large proportion of pupils. By contrast, only a minority can differentiate between the two types of interactions: the idea of mere attraction remains dominant and may screen the idea of orientation. Finally, we discuss to what extent these exploratory results confirm the relevancy of such teaching goals and how they inform the design of research-based teaching sequences concerning this topic. (Contains 5 tables, 10 figures and 1 note.)

Focuses on difficulties linked to situations in physics involving two models--geometrical optics and wave optics. Presents content analysis underlining two important features required for addressing such situations: (1) awareness of the status of the drawings; and (2) the 'backward selection' of paths of light. (Contains 24 references.) (Author/YDS)

Illustrates an approach to research-based teaching strategies and their evaluation. Addresses a teaching sequence on the superposition of electric fields implemented at the college level in an institutional framework subject to severe constraints. Contains 28 references. (DDR)

Described are how students (n=2,000) reduce the complexity of multivariable problems. Tendencies toward "functional reduction" in common reasoning are shown to range from a simple reduction in the number of variables considered, to a more elaborate procedure where all variables are taken into account, but in a simplified way involving "linear causal reasoning." (KR)

When a fluid fills up a rotating box, the pressure inside the fluid is easily obtained by solving a closed set of equations. However, if the fluid is incompressible, the mass conservation equation is trivially satisfied and the pressure remains undetermined. After a preliminary analysis of the similar problem of a rotating rigid rod, this paradox is removed by giving the fluid a small value of the compressibility [Chi] and taking [Chi] [approaches] 0 at the end of the calculation.

In this article an analysis of the difficulties experienced by students when applying the principle of superposition to electric fields is presented. A study of university level students in France and Sweden revealed the existence of difficulties arising out of two issues: (1) a causal interpretation of some relationships, (2) the student's need for an effect, motion of some kind, to accept the existence of a field. The links between these obstacles and a lack of a unified view on electric phenomena are discussed from a pedagogical point of view.

This article is focused on elementary algebra in physics. After a brief recall of what should be understood in this topic, the paper examines common difficulties. Results of inquiries conducted with students at university level (first to fourth year) and with trainee teachers are presented and discussed. The authors point to the advantages of using schemes that explicitly specify two different kinds of indications: coding arrows, on the one hand, and realistic arrows on the other. Some examples of questions suitable for an interactive work with students are proposed.

Investigates spontaneous reasoning of 709 French, Belgian, and British students in elementary dynamics using the relations between force, energy and motion as the study topic. Students were selected from the last year at secondary school to the third year at university. (HM)

Reports results of a survey of postsecondary students that examines the main difficulties encountered in using elementary algebra in the sciences. (CS)