How physics teachers shape and influence students’ conceptions

This study investigates the factors influencing physics teachers’ thinking and actions, shaping their teaching practices and impacting students’ learning experiences. It examines how teachers’ conceptions of science, teaching intentions, and perspectives on learning are interconnected with their personal experiences, creating a “teacher’s footprint”. Teachers’ conceptions —including traditional, experimental, constructivist, pragmatic, and social types— significantly shape students’ views and understanding of physics. This study uses a multimodal research methodology to analyze teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), focusing on the interplay between physics and mathematics and the argumentation teaching and learning process. By comparing these findings with students’ conceptions, the study reveals how teachers’ beliefs and practices directly influence the development of students’ scientific understanding, showing the importance of effective teaching strategies in physics education.