The images in Physics textbooks: between the optimism and the prudence

Abstract

This work discusses the potentialities and limitations of external images in physics Education, using a cognitive framework, and some implications for the use of these images in leargning contexts aew formulated. For this, we describe the categories used in a qualitative study of the images that appear in usual Physics textbooks, for secondary school and university level. With examples obtained from this qualitative study, we illustrate the forms in wich these texts use the images, and argument for the reasons of those uses. Considering the results from cognitive and educative research, the aspects that could be inadequate to learn and to teach physics are pointed out. We also present a provisory list of conceptions from popular psychology that seems to be the framework for this kind of use of the external images in textbooks to question themselves about image use in teaching.