SAIP2026

Investigating Physical Sciences Teachers’ Perceptions and Problem-Solving Approaches in Vertical Projectile Motion

9 Jul 2026, 16:30

20m

Lecture Hall C9 (University of the Western Cape)

Oral Presentation Track E - Physics for Development, Education and Outreach Physics for Development, Education and Outreach

Speaker

Mark Herbert (University of the Western Cape)

Description

Projectile motion is a central topic in secondary school physics curricula and requires the integration of several fundamental kinematic concepts. Despite its importance, both learners and teachers often experience difficulties when solving projectile motion problems. This study investigates how Physical Sciences teachers perceive vertical projectile motion problems and the strategies they use to solve them. Ten Physical Sciences teachers participated in a professional development workshop, during which they completed a worksheet designed to assess their conceptual understanding of vertical projectile motion as well as their problem-solving approaches. To analyse the teachers’ responses, a mixed-methods approach was employed. Qualitative analysis was used to identify common themes in their responses, while a detailed rubric was applied to evaluate their problem-solving performance quantitatively. The findings suggest that although teachers recognise the value of structured problem-solving strategies, most continue to rely predominantly on procedural approaches when solving projectile motion problems. Several challenges were identified, both conceptual and procedural, particularly in selecting appropriate equations and interpreting graphical representations. These results highlight the need for professional development programmes that explicitly support teachers in developing structured and conceptually grounded problem-solving strategies in physics.