Multimodal expressions of disciplinary relevant aspects in inquiry-based physics learning

Abstract

Abstract In this study we are interested in how learners of geometrical optics express disciplinary relevant aspects multimodally in an inquiry-based learning with support of a computer simulation. Students’ discussions and work with the simulation were filmed, transcribed, and we analysed some parts of the transcript where the students show signs of disciplinary relevant aspects by a method based in conversation analysis. We found evidence that the students use multiple semiotic resources for expressing disciplinary relevant aspects about the tasks, especially gestures. The letter are by their visual nature well suited for communication in physics, and are used by the students to transduct semiotic information.