How Could Pre-existing Knowledge of Physics Terms Prior to Learning Them in a Physics Classroom Alter the Learning of Physics in Introductory Physics Courses and How Do You Effectively Grasp The Concepts of Physics?
Abstract
Physics terms are terms that most people use in their day-to-day language which could create confusion when being taught in a physics classroom setting. In my experience, I found some concepts confusing when we first learned about velocity and acceleration. Acceleration to me meant speeding up which exactly means an increase in speed, but the term velocity is theterm used in physics for speed. When words fail us, it states that the physics teacher’s interpretations and filtration that they developed could appear different to every student based on how the language is developed (Tougher, 1991). In one aspect of this study, it appeared that the more the definition of a physics term is distant from an academic definition and more into an application to real life, then it becomes easier to understand.