Developing the behaviours that we value in physics knowers through implementing aspects of the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach in a South African high school
- Authors: Cobbing, Kathleen Margaret
- Date: 2025-04-03
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Secondary) South Africa , Knowledge, Theory of , Reflective learning , Critical thinking , Action research in education
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/479874 , vital:78375 , DOI 10.21504/10962/479874
- Description: Situated in Physics Education Research, this study focused on physics learning through the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach. The ISLE approach is underpinned by the belief that students should learn physics through doing physics, and that all aspects of the learning experience should seek to enhance student well-being. The ISLE approach was introduced in the physics classrooms of two, well-resourced, independent South African high schools. Physics provides a context in which to develop behaviours that assist learning and that promote a learning-orientated mindset. Physics students need to be able to (i) actively engage to facilitate learning, (ii) connect the domains of a problem to construct a coherent knowledge structure, (iii) transfer their understanding of a concept to a new context, and (iv) grapple with concepts and problems. These behaviours, which are valued in physics students, should be modelled through activities so that students can be trained to adopt these practices. The Specialization dimension of Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) was used as the analytical framework for this study and translation devices were developed and used to code the activities in terms of the behaviours that they value. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in a mixed methods approach, and inductively determined codes were thematically analysed. The ISLE activities, as well as activities that were developed, based on ISLE principles, were found to legitimate the behaviours that we value in physics knowers. The student experience of the ISLE approach demonstrated the development of these behaviours for many students, although there remained a strong emphasis on performance. Activities that model all four of the valued behaviours were particularly effective. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Physics and Electronics, 2025
- Full Text:
- Authors: Cobbing, Kathleen Margaret
- Date: 2025-04-03
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Secondary) South Africa , Knowledge, Theory of , Reflective learning , Critical thinking , Action research in education
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/479874 , vital:78375 , DOI 10.21504/10962/479874
- Description: Situated in Physics Education Research, this study focused on physics learning through the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach. The ISLE approach is underpinned by the belief that students should learn physics through doing physics, and that all aspects of the learning experience should seek to enhance student well-being. The ISLE approach was introduced in the physics classrooms of two, well-resourced, independent South African high schools. Physics provides a context in which to develop behaviours that assist learning and that promote a learning-orientated mindset. Physics students need to be able to (i) actively engage to facilitate learning, (ii) connect the domains of a problem to construct a coherent knowledge structure, (iii) transfer their understanding of a concept to a new context, and (iv) grapple with concepts and problems. These behaviours, which are valued in physics students, should be modelled through activities so that students can be trained to adopt these practices. The Specialization dimension of Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) was used as the analytical framework for this study and translation devices were developed and used to code the activities in terms of the behaviours that they value. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in a mixed methods approach, and inductively determined codes were thematically analysed. The ISLE activities, as well as activities that were developed, based on ISLE principles, were found to legitimate the behaviours that we value in physics knowers. The student experience of the ISLE approach demonstrated the development of these behaviours for many students, although there remained a strong emphasis on performance. Activities that model all four of the valued behaviours were particularly effective. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Physics and Electronics, 2025
- Full Text:
New insights on classical radio galaxies from MeerKAT and uGMRT
- Authors: Legodi, Portia Potasi
- Date: 2025-04-03
- Subjects: Radio galaxies , MeerKAT , Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope , Radio sources (Astronomy) , Radio interferometers
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/479886 , vital:78376 , DOI 10.21504/10962/479886
- Description: The morphology of low and high-power sources has been the subject of a classification method for over four decades, leading to a comprehensive understanding of extragalactic radio sources. The morphological classification of radio galaxies is again a hot topic. This project aims to revisit the current classification scheme for classical radio galaxies and investigate the properties and origin of the new filamentary features which are becoming standard within and outside the radio lobes and which are suggestive of so far unexplored interactions between the radio plasma and the external medium. This thesis presents high-resolution and sensitivity studies of the nature of ten known radio galaxies: three FRIs (4C -03.43, 3C 403.1, 3C 198), three FRIIs (3C 105, 3C 227, 3C 445), tailed radio sources (CGCG046-067, NGC7503) and the FR0s (SDSS J 09157+1331, SDSS J 1120+0407). The total sample was selected from the 4C catalogue with well-defined criteria. To this aim, we are using the μJy sensitivity offered by the combination of uGMRT and MeerKAT in a frequency range from 500−1712 MHz. The radio images present several new morphological features in the radio emission at a ∼4′′ −10′′ angular resolution. Our radio maps validate the morphological classification. The sources exhibit remarkable features that raise new questions regarding the complex interaction between radio plasma emitted by host galaxies and the surrounding medium through which the jet propagates. The wealth of morphological details includes, for example, the detection of filaments in the emission from the lobes, the existence of diffuse emission beyond the hotspots, and multiple knot-like structures along the jet spine in some sources in the sample. Detailed descriptions of the overall radio structures are presented. We derived the equipartition parameters for each source in the sample, and after fitting their integrated spectrum, we estimated their global radiative ages. We find a broad range of radiative ages, i.e. 40.19−242.85 Myr. We derived in-band spectral index imaging for a few radio galaxies in the sample. This allowed us to make some preliminary considerations on the origin of the various radio features. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Physics and Electronics, 2025
- Full Text:
- Authors: Legodi, Portia Potasi
- Date: 2025-04-03
- Subjects: Radio galaxies , MeerKAT , Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope , Radio sources (Astronomy) , Radio interferometers
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/479886 , vital:78376 , DOI 10.21504/10962/479886
- Description: The morphology of low and high-power sources has been the subject of a classification method for over four decades, leading to a comprehensive understanding of extragalactic radio sources. The morphological classification of radio galaxies is again a hot topic. This project aims to revisit the current classification scheme for classical radio galaxies and investigate the properties and origin of the new filamentary features which are becoming standard within and outside the radio lobes and which are suggestive of so far unexplored interactions between the radio plasma and the external medium. This thesis presents high-resolution and sensitivity studies of the nature of ten known radio galaxies: three FRIs (4C -03.43, 3C 403.1, 3C 198), three FRIIs (3C 105, 3C 227, 3C 445), tailed radio sources (CGCG046-067, NGC7503) and the FR0s (SDSS J 09157+1331, SDSS J 1120+0407). The total sample was selected from the 4C catalogue with well-defined criteria. To this aim, we are using the μJy sensitivity offered by the combination of uGMRT and MeerKAT in a frequency range from 500−1712 MHz. The radio images present several new morphological features in the radio emission at a ∼4′′ −10′′ angular resolution. Our radio maps validate the morphological classification. The sources exhibit remarkable features that raise new questions regarding the complex interaction between radio plasma emitted by host galaxies and the surrounding medium through which the jet propagates. The wealth of morphological details includes, for example, the detection of filaments in the emission from the lobes, the existence of diffuse emission beyond the hotspots, and multiple knot-like structures along the jet spine in some sources in the sample. Detailed descriptions of the overall radio structures are presented. We derived the equipartition parameters for each source in the sample, and after fitting their integrated spectrum, we estimated their global radiative ages. We find a broad range of radiative ages, i.e. 40.19−242.85 Myr. We derived in-band spectral index imaging for a few radio galaxies in the sample. This allowed us to make some preliminary considerations on the origin of the various radio features. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Physics and Electronics, 2025
- Full Text:
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