Elementaire begrippen in de geometrische optica: leerlingenvoorstellingen en schoolboekteksten

Tijdschrift voor Didactiek van de Beta-wetenschappen, uitgegeven door het Freudenthal Instituut, Universiteit Utrecht in de periode 1983-2014

Wubbels, Th Tijdschrift voor Didactiek van de Beta-wetenschappen 1986 – 4(1), 19-37 Download pdf

This paper reviews research on pupils’ framework in the domain of geometrical optics. Literature is cited on the concepts of ‘light’, ‘vision’ and ‘images in a plane mirror’. It is concluded that pupils have conceptions that are not in harmony with conceptions commonly advocated in physics. The pupils’ conceptions are firmly rooted in experiences and in common parlance. The most peculiar feature of pupils’ frameworks is the ‘decoupling’ between light being directed onto an object and the act of seeing the object. Dutch textbooks on geometrical optics for secondary education are analysed. It is found that the authors seem not to realise what frameworks pupils have. The frameworks are not mentioned or challenged. Some texts that aim to teach a common physics conception can be interpreted by pupils without restructuring their framework.