Problematizing as a scientific endeavor

Abstract

The work of physics learners at all levels revolves around problems. Physics education research has inspired attention to the forms of these problems, whether conceptual or algorithmic, closed or open response, well or ill structured. Meanwhile, it has been the work of curriculum developers and instructors to develop these problems. Physics education research has supported these efforts with studies of students problem solving and the effects of different kinds of problems on learning. In this article we argue, first, that developing problems is central to the discipline of physics. It involves noticing a gap of understanding, identifying and articulating its precise nature, and motivating a community of its existence and significance. We refer to this activity as problematizing, and we show its importance by drawing from writings in physics and philosophy of science. Second, we argue that students, from elementary age to adults, can problematize as part of their engaging in scientific inquiry. We present four cases, drawing from episodes vetted by a panel of collaborating faculty in science departments as clear instances of students doing science. Although neither we nor the scientists had problematizing in mind when screening cases, we found it across the episodes. We close with implications for instruction, including the value of helping students recognize and manage the situation of being confused but not yet having a clear question, and implications for research, including the need to build problematizing into our models of learning.

Positioning as not‐understanding: The value of showing uncertainty for engaging in science

“…In our cases, we saw how students' positioning of uncertainty allowed them to express unease about their own understanding and then to articulate gaps or inconsistencies. In other papers we argue that this work of problematizing is a central aspect of doing science (Phillips, Watkins, & Hammer, 2017;Phillips, Watkins & Hammer, under review), and we elaborate on the "unease" students experience as a form of epistemic affect (Jaber & Hammer, 2016;Radoff, Jaber, & Hammer, under review).…”

“… There are two other themes we have pursued in more focused analyses. (1) Epistemic affect : All cases show evidence of students' affect connected with epistemic states (Jaber & Hammer, ), in particular of vexation over inconsistencies (Radoff, ) and (2) Problematizing : Most (but not all) of the cases involved students' efforts to articulate or motivate a gap or inconsistency in their own or the class's understanding (Phillips et al, ). We discuss below how these relate to the theme of positioning.…”

“… This episode has been detailed in (Phillips et al, ) and the full video can be seen on the project website: http://www.studentsdoingscience.tufts.edu.…”

Disciplinary authenticity and personal relevance in school science

“…He began with problems that interested the students and worked with them to articulate a quantitative research question and design an experiment that could answer this question (often based on a quick Internet search). Based on these very rough measurements, he and the students discussed what was interesting about the results, what they were curious about investigating further, and how they could improve their measurements, in a process that closely reflect authentic scientific problematizing (Phillips, Watkins, & Hammer, ). During this process, the specific theme of the project usually emerged as the student's own idea.…”

MAKING SENSE OF GENES. KostasKampourakis. Cambridge University Press, New York City, New York. 2017. 307 pages. ISBN: 9781107128132

“…A growing body of research emphasizes the importance of leveraging disciplinary forms of uncertainty for science students to draw on epistemic practices (e.g. Berland & Hammer, ; Engle, ; Manz, ; Phillips, Watkins, & Hammer, ; Watkins, Hammer, Radoff, Jaber, & Phillips, ). As a postsecondary biology education researcher, I wonder what forms of uncertainty might productively drive student learning in undergraduate biology courses.…”