[Paper Review] Teaching vs. learning: Changing perspectives on problem solving in physics instruction

William D. Gerace, Ian D. Beatty|ArXiv.org|Aug 18, 2005

Science Education and Pedagogy34 references22 citations

TL;DR

This paper argues that traditional physics instruction, which emphasizes teacher-centered problem solving, fails to develop true physics expertise. Drawing on Physics Education Research (PER), it advocates shifting from teaching-focused models to learning-centered ones, where instructors design guided learning experiences that help students actively construct knowledge and self-monitor their understanding—leading to deeper conceptual mastery and improved problem-solving skills.

ABSTRACT

Problem solving is central to physics instruction. Results from Physics Education Research (PER), however, demonstrate that traditional ways of teaching with problem solving are inefficient and ineffective for promoting true physics expertise. PER findings give rise to a perspective on physics expertise, learning, and problem solving that can illuminate the reasons why problem solving in traditional instruction fares poorly and suggest remedies. At the heart of the remedies lies a rethinking of the instructional model in which teachers focus less on presenting subject material and more on engineering learning experiences and guiding students' learning efforts, while students strive to become active, selfmonitoring constructors of knowledge.

Motivation & Objective

• To address the persistent inefficacy of traditional physics instruction in fostering true physics expertise.
• To identify why conventional problem-solving approaches in physics fail to promote deep learning.
• To propose a paradigm shift from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered learning experiences.
• To guide educators in redesigning instruction to support students as active, self-monitoring constructors of knowledge.
• To provide evidence-based strategies for improving problem-solving instruction through a learning-focused framework.

Proposed method

• Analyzing findings from Physics Education Research (PER) to identify shortcomings in traditional problem-solving instruction.
• Reframing physics expertise as a dynamic, constructivist process rather than rote procedural knowledge.
• Proposing an instructional model that shifts focus from content delivery to designing learning experiences that scaffold student understanding.
• Emphasizing formative assessment and metacognitive strategies to help students self-monitor their learning progress.
• Integrating student reflection and peer discussion as core components of problem-solving instruction.
• Applying principles of cognitive science to design learning environments that promote conceptual understanding over algorithmic recall.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 Why do traditional problem-solving methods in physics instruction fail to produce lasting conceptual understanding?
• RQ2 What are the key differences between teaching-focused and learning-focused instructional models in physics education?
• RQ3 How can instructors redesign problem-solving activities to promote active knowledge construction by students?
• RQ4 What role does metacognition play in effective physics problem solving, and how can it be supported in the classroom?
• RQ5 What evidence from PER supports the shift from teacher-centered to student-centered approaches in physics instruction?

Key findings

• Traditional problem-solving instruction often results in superficial understanding and poor transfer of knowledge to novel problems.
• Students taught through conventional methods frequently rely on memorized procedures rather than conceptual reasoning.
• A learning-centered approach, where students are guided to construct knowledge through reflection and self-monitoring, leads to deeper conceptual mastery.
• Instructors who focus on designing learning experiences rather than delivering content see improved student engagement and problem-solving performance.
• Metacognitive strategies such as self-explanation and peer discussion significantly enhance students' ability to solve complex physics problems.
• PER findings consistently show that student-centered, inquiry-based models outperform direct instruction in promoting long-term retention and application of physics concepts.