Speaker
Description
Visual perception cannot be fully explained by a single model, as it involves both physical models of light and cognitive processes. Light is described through geometrical optics, wave theory, and particle theory, each suited to different contexts; for instance, geometrical optics explains reflection but not diffraction, which requires a wave model. Likewise, phenomena such as the Moon appearing larger on the horizon cannot be explained by physical processes alone but require cognitive interpretation. While optics explains image formation on the retina, perception depends on the brain’s interpretation using experience and context. Early scholars such as Ibn al-Haytham and Hermann von Helmholtz recognized this connection between the eye and the brain, yet modern physics teaching often overlooks it. Therefore, a complete understanding of vision must integrate both physical optics and cognitive processes, which this study seeks to explore in students’ explanations.
This study investigates students’ understanding of light direction, refraction, and the Moon’s apparent size using a debate-style questionnaire based on Allie (1998). Students provide both selected answers and written explanations, which are analyzed using Grounded Theory. The instrument was administered to 140 first-year students at the University of Cape Town, provide insights into how students explain optical phenomena.
| Apply for student award at which level: | PhD |
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| Consent on use of personal information: Abstract Submission | Yes, I ACCEPT |