A study of future physics teachers’ knowledge for teaching: A case of a decibel sound level scale

Abstract

This study examines future secondary physics teachers’ knowledge related to the teaching of sound waves, and specifically the topics of sound level and sound intensity. The data is comprised of future teachers’ responses to a task in which they had to compose a script for an imaginary dialogue between a teacher and a group of students and to provide a commentary elaborating on their instructional choices. The topics selected for the task were chosen intentionally as they provide authentic and rich opportunities to bridge mathematics and science concepts, while challenging future teachers to consider the logarithmic measurement scale and its role in science. The task provided the participants with the beginning of a dialogue that featured student confusion about the measurement of sound level using a decibel scale. Future physics teachers were asked to extend this dialogue through describing envisioned instructional interactions that could have ensued. The instructional interchange related to the relationship between sound intensity and sound level, and particular teachers’ responses to the student ideas related to the meaning of a decibel sound level scale were analysed. These responses were categorized as featuring superficial or deep, and conceptual or procedural knowledge for teaching. We describe each category using illustrative excerpts from the participants’ scripts. We conclude with highlighting the affordances of scriptwriting for teachers, teacher educators, and researchers.