Abstract
In the intentional-expressive approach, a development within the phenomenographic tradition, an alternative view of the role of language is adopted. The approach focuses the learner’s use of expressions and intended meanings, in relation to his/her conception of a phenomenon. The article presents empirical findings from a study made at a university of technology using a special dialogue structure. The aim of the dialogue is to capture the individual’s way of reflecting on the interplay between the expressions he or she uses, their intended meanings, and his or her conception of the phenomenon. Twenty-four students participated and were presented an everyday situation involving the physical motion of a body. The results show that the interplay was ambiguous and dynamic. The relationships between expression and meaning were much weaker than between meaning and conception. In learning situations, this may cause problems concerning students’ knowledge formation, since a stable relationship is often taken for granted in learning and teaching.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderberg, E. (1999). The relation between language and thought revealed in reflecting upon words used to express the conception of a problem (Diss.). Lund: Lund University Press.
Anderberg, E. (2000). Word meaning and conceptions. An empirical study of relationships between students’ thinking and use of language when reasoning about a problem. Instructional Science, 28, 89–113.
Anderberg, E. (2003). Språkanvändningens funktion vid utveckling av kunskap om objekt, (Göteborg Studies in Educational Sciences, 198). Göteborg: Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis.
Anderberg, E., Svensson, L., Alvegård, C. & Johansson, T. (2008). The epistemological role of language use in learning. A phenomenographic intentional-expressive approach. Educational Research Review, 3, 14–29.
Alvegård, C., & Anderberg, E. (2006). The interplay between content, language meaning and expressions. Paper presented in the symposium, the interplay between language and thought in understanding problems from a student perspective at AERA (American Educational Research Association) Annual Meeting, San Francisco, April 8–12.
Carmichael, P., Driver, R., Holding, B., Phillips, I., Twigger, D., & Watts, M. (1990). Research on students’ conceptions in science: A bibliography. Leeds: Centre for Studies in Science & Mathematics Education, University of Leeds.
diSessa, A. (1996). What do just plain folk know about physics? In D. R. Olson & N. Torrance (Eds.), The handbook of education and human development; New models of learning teaching and schooling (pp. 709–730). Cambridge: Blackwell.
diSessa, A. (1998). Knowledge in pieces. In G. Foreman & P. Pufall (Eds.), Constructivism in the computer age. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
diSessa, A., & Sherin, B. (1998). What changes in conceptual change? International Journal of Science Education, 20, 1155–1191.
Duit, R. (2009). Bibliography STCSE—Students’ and teachers’ conceptions and science education. Retrieved August 27, 2009, from IPN—Leibniz Institute for Science Education at the University of Kiel, Kiel. Web site: http://www.ipn.uni-kiel.de/aktuell/stcse/.
Fensham, P. (2001). Science content as problematic—Issues for research. In H. Behrent, et al. (Eds.), Research in science education—Past present and future (pp. 27–41). Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Gergen, K. (1985). The social constructionist movement in modern psychology. American Psychologist, 40, 266–275.
Hestenes, D., Wells, M., & Swackhammer, G. (1992). Force concept inventory. Physics Teacher, 30, 141–158.
Ioannides, C., & Vosniadou, S. (2002). The changing meaning of force. Cognitive Science Quarterly, 2, 5–61.
Johansson, B., Marton, F., & Svensson, L. (1985). An approach to describing learning as change between qualitatively different conceptions. In L. A. Pines & L. H. T. West (Eds.), Cognitive structures and conceptual change (pp. 233–258). Orlando: Academic Press.
Johansson, T., Svensson, L., Anderberg, E. & Alvegård, C. (2006). A phenomenographic view of the interplay between language use and learning, (Pedagogical Reports, 24), Lund: Department of Education, Lund University.
Lemke, J. (1990). Talking science: Language learning and values. Norwood NJ: Ablex.
Lemke, J. (2001). Articulating communities: Sociocultural perspectives on science education. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38, 296–316.
Marton, F. (1981). Phenomenography. Describing conceptions of the world around us. Instructional Science, 10, 177–200.
Marton, F., & Booth, S. (1997). Learning and awareness. New Jersey: Erlbaum Associates.
McDermott, L., & Redish, E. (1999). Resource letter PER-1: Physics educational research. American Journal of Physics, 67, 755–767.
Mercer, N., Dawes, L., Wegerif, R., & Sams, C. (2004). Reasoning as a scientist: Ways of helping children to use language to learn science. British Educational Research Journal, 30, 359–377.
Posner, G., Strike, K. A., Hewson, P. W., & Gertzog, W. A. (1982). Accommodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change. Science Education, 66, 211–227.
Schulte, J. (2001). On wittgenstein. Philosophical Investigations, 24, 162–169.
Svensson, L. (1978). Some notes on a methodological problem in the study of the relationship between thought and language—describing the thought content in terms of different conceptions of the same phenomenon. Göteborg: Department of Education and Educational Research, Gothenburg University.
Svensson, L. (1989). The conceptualization of cases of physical motion. European Journal of Psychology of Education, IV, 529–545.
Svensson, L. (1997). Theoretical foundations of phenomenography. Higher Education Research & Development, 16, 159–171.
Svensson, L., Anderberg, E., Alvegård, C. & Johansson, T. (2009). The use of language in understanding subject matter. Instructional Science, 37, 205–225.
Viennot, L. (1979). Spontaneous reasoning in elementary dynamics. European Journal of Education, 1, 205–221.
Vosniadou, S. (1994). Conceptual change in physical sciences. Learning and Instruction, 4, 1–121.
Vosniadou, S. (1996). Towards a revised cognitive psychology for new advances in learning and instruction. Learning and Instruction, 6, 95–109.
Vosniadou, S., & Verschaffel, L. (2004). Extending the conceptual change approach to mathematics learning and teaching. Learning and Instruction, 14, 445–451.
Wertsch, J. (1998). Mind as action. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wittgenstein, L. (1974). Philosophical investigations. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Acknowledgment
This project has financial support from Swedish Research Council.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Alvegård, C., Anderberg, E., Svensson, L. et al. The Interplay Between Content, Expressions and Their Meaning When Expressing Understanding. Sci & Educ 19, 283–303 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-009-9207-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-009-9207-5