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The paradigmatic change in mechanics: Implications of historical processes for physics education

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Abstract

Analysing the paradigmatic shift from Peripatetic to Galilean physics can help to understand students' difficulties in learning Newtonian mechanics. This article promotes the use of historical texts in physics teaching as a means to support students in becoming aware of the structural differences between everyday life and scientific views of the world. The question is: Does conceptual change require paradigmatic change?

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physics Education, University of Bremen, D-2800, Bremen, Germany

    Horst P. Schecker

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  1. Horst P. Schecker
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Additional information

This paper was given to the 1988 European Physical Society, History of Physics & Physics Teaching conference, held in Paris. It appeared in the Proceedings of the conference, edited by C. Blondel & P. Brouzeng.

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Schecker, H.P. The paradigmatic change in mechanics: Implications of historical processes for physics education. Sci Educ 1, 71–76 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430210

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430210

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