Abstract
Nineteen informants (n = 19) were asked to study and comment two computer animations of the Otto combustion engine. One animation was non-interactive and realistic in the sense of depicting a physical engine. The other animation was more idealised, interactive and synchronised with a dynamic PV-graph. The informants represented practical and theoretical traditions of knowledge: science students and teachers at upper secondary school level; vocational students and teachers in vehicle mechanics at upper secondary school level, and; MSc and PhD students in vehicle system engineering. The aim was to explore how they interpreted the animations against the background of their different traditions of knowledge and their experience of physical engines and models of engines. A key finding was that the PhD students saw the interactive animation as a familiar and useful model of engines, whereas the vehicle mechanics teachers saw it as a poor representation of reality. A general conclusion was that there is a variety of competent ways to interpret a model, depending on the tradition of knowledge.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aristotle. (1984). The Nicomachean ethics (D. Ross, Trans.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Black, M. (1962). Models and metaphors: Studies in language and philosophy. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Cox, A. J., Belloni, M., Dancy, M., & Christian, W. (2003a). Otto engine. http://webphysics.davidson.edu/physlet_resources/thermo_paper/thermo/examples/otto_engine.html. Accessed March 23, 2010.
Cox, A. J., Belloni, M., Dancy, M., & Christian, W. (2003b). Teaching thermodynamics with Physlets® in introductory physics. Physics Education, 38(5), 433–440.
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. New York, NY: McMillan.
France, B., Compton, V. J., & Gilbert, J. K. (2010). Understanding modelling in technology and science: the potential of stories from the field. International Journal of Technology and Design Education. doi:10.1007/s10798-010-9126-4.
Gilbert, J. K. (2004). Models and modelling: Routes to more authentic science education. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2(2), 115–130.
Grosslight, L., Unger, C., Jay, E., & Smith, C. L. (1991). Understanding models and their use in science: Conceptions of middle and high school students and experts. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 28(9), 799–822.
Harrison, A. G., & Treagust, D. F. (2000). A typology of school science models. International Journal of Science Education, 22(9), 1011–1026.
Hegarty, M. (2004). Dynamic visualizations and learning: Getting to the difficult questions. Learning and Instruction, 14, 343–351.
Hendricks, V. F., Jacobsen, A., & Pedersen, S. A. (2000). Identification of matrices in science and engineering. Journal for General Philosophy of Science, 31(2), 277–305.
Justi, R. S., & Gilbert, J. K. (2003). Teachers’ views on the nature of models. International Journal of Science Education, 25(11), 1369–1386.
Krusberg, Z. A. C. (2007). Emerging technologies in physics education. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 16, 401–411.
Kuhn, T. S. (1996). The structure of scientific revolutions (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
Layton, E. T. (1974). Technology as knowledge. Technology and Culture, 15(1), 31–41.
Lewin, K. (1952). Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers by Kurt Lewin. London, UK: Tavistock.
Molander, B. (2002). Politics for learning or learning for politics? Studies in Philosophy and Education, 21(4–5), 361–376.
Rossouw, A., Hacker, M., & de Vries, M. (2010). Concepts and contexts in engineering and technology education: An international and interdisciplinary Delphi study. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 1–16. doi:10.1007/s10798-010-9129-1.
TIMLOTO. (2007). motor_wout3.gif. http://www.timloto.org/pictures/motor_wout3.gif. Accessed March 23, 2010.
van Someren, M. W., Barnard, Y. F., & Sandberg, J. A. C. (1994). The think aloud method. A practical guide to modelling cognitive processes. http://www.cogdevelopment.com/courses/literature/Think-aloud-method.pdf. Accessed February 16, 2009.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Haglund, J., Strömdahl, H. Perspective on models in theoretical and practical traditions of knowledge: the example of Otto engine animations. Int J Technol Des Educ 22, 311–327 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-010-9146-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-010-9146-0