Teaching and learning high school physics through analogies: A case study of Kenyan classrooms.

摘要

Analogy is a widely used instructional tool in science. Because of the many abstract concepts the subject embodies, analogy use is particularly common in physics education.;Analogies differ in character depending on who constructs them, the context in which they are used and the grade level being taught. This study describes the analogies that physics teachers use in teaching form two (grade 10) physics in Kenya. The study extended over 14 weeks of classroom observation in three form two physics classes, supplemented by teacher and student interviews. A total of 20 analogies were identified and analysed in terms of Nashon's (2000) Working With Analogies (WWA) model.;Findings showed that the analogies were largely environmental (cultural), anthropomorphic and spontaneously generated. There was no evidence to indicate teachers' use of a theoretical model, such as Zeitoun's (1984) General Model for Analogical Teaching (GMAT), Glynn's (1991) Teaching With Analogies (TWA) or Nashon's (2000) Working With Analogies (WWA) model. It was found that alternative frameworks for some concepts still existed among the students despite the analogical teaching. Some of the frameworks appeared to persist even in the presence of correct information, while others were a consequence of literal interpretation of scientific terms or phrases. The few analogies that students generated for themselves reflected their understanding of analogically taught concepts (Pittman, 1999) and could therefore, to some extent be judged successful. However, some misconceptions were still noticeable.;Findings of this study may have an impact on the way teachers teach science, and, more so, physics—in particular, on the analogies they use, the concepts they teach and the methods they chose to use in teaching the concepts (in general), all of which depend on the context.