Specialeforsvar i fysik

Specialestuderende: Kuno Rasmussen Harsbo

Vejleder: Ricardo Karam (IND)

Censor: Keld Nielsen (Århus Universitet)

Title:

A qualitative case study on temperature in Danish high school textbooks, based on a historic review of the invention of temperature

Abstract:

How has the concept of temperature historically been constructed? Which different approaches to temperature can be found in physics? How do these approaches manifest in educational material, specifically physics books aimed at Danish high school students? These are the main research questions of my thesis project. My ultimate goal is to analyze the qualitative meaning of temperature presented in Danish high school books. As a basis for this analysis, I will begin with a historical review of how temperature was invented and redefined throughout the centuries. As a part of this review, I will present an overview of the different frameworks for temperature still in use in contemporary physics education. Finally, I will use this overview in a case study on how temperature is presented in a selection of Danish high school physics textbooks.