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This thesis reports the results of some five years of work with first year physics students at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. South African education is presently characterized by large numbers of students who, judging from their poor results in their first year at university, are poorly equipped to meet the academic requirements of a university course especially in science-related disciplines. The purpose of this research was twofold: (a) To determine the cognitive reasons for the poor performance of these students, characterized as disadvantaged in the study; (b) To develop suitable instructional materials based on the determination in (a). Feuerstein's theories of the cognitive development of disadvantaged persons were found to be extremely useful both in providing direction for the research as well as in interpreting the data generated by the study. Thirty person-to-person interviews of about 45 minutes in length, were conducted with first year physics students as they attempted to solve two typical kinematics problems. Analysis of the interviews revealed that in addition to language difficulties experienced, students also displayed regularities in the types of errors made. Over and above this, students demonstrated significant cognitive difficulties with the analysis and elaboration of data in the problems. Many of these difficulties can be related to the cognitive deficiencies documented in the work of Feuerstein. Additionally, a paper-and-pencil test was developed to examine whether students, after instruction, display any planned approach in their use of Newton's laws in solving typical physics problems. The results of the test with 86 first year physics students show that traditional physics instruction does not help disadvantaged students develop the ability to use Newton's laws in any structured manner. Instruments were developed to assist students using the algorithmic approaches of Landa. Nine areas in the typical university first year mechanics course were analysed for the cognitive operations requited to use specific laws or concepts in problem-solving. Booklets were designed which made these cognitive operations explicit in the application of the particular law or concept. A test group which used the instruments showed significant gains in quarterly examinations in the physics department, over a control group which received instruction in the traditional manner. Anecdotal evidence of the efficacy of the instruments is also presented. The success of the research shows that it is possible to address the cognitive difficulties of disadvantaged students in physics within the framework of a first year university course. The approaches documented in this thesis give an indication of how disadvantaged students can be assisted and supported academically. |
