Representation systems of the physical and the mathematical models of an oscillating system: their influence on the conceptualization, learning and teaching

GAZZOLA, M. P.; OTERO, M. R.; LLANOS, V. C.; ARLEGO, M.

San pablo

Congreso; 2nd. World Conference on Physics Education; 2016

Universidad de San Pablo

In this work, the conceptualization of the simple harmonic motion (SHM) and the representations of the physical model (PM) and the mathematical model (MM) are analyzed, with a focus on how the students establish or not, relationships between them. The analysis is based on a didactic sequence founded on the Theory of Conceptual Fields [1,2]. The sequence [3] proposes situations which are designed in different representation systems (RS) belonging to each model.The interplay between the physical system (PS), the models and their representations is the following. The PS translates into the physical model PM and the mathematical model MM. The PM represents a simplified (idealized) model of the system, in this case an ideal spring and pendulum, whereas the MM is the mathematical model of the PM. Note that by their nature PM and MM are completely interrelated. In turn, PM and MM have associated representation systems, which we denote by RSPM and RSMM, respectively. The RSPM refers to drawings, schemes and simulations associated to the PM, while the RSMM concerns to function graphs and formulas related to the MM.