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Research Paper | Physical Education | Volume 15 Issue 9, September 2026 | Pages: 879 - 883 | Greece
Addressing Aristotelian Misconceptions: Fostering Conceptual Understanding of Inertia through Interactive Digital Environments
Abstract: Teaching Newton's First Law presents persistent challenges because students often retain intuitive ideas about force and motion that conflict with scientific explanations. This article presents a 45-minute instructional scenario for teaching equilibrium, inertia, and Newton's First Law to lower-secondary students. The scenario combines constructivist and inquiry-oriented learning through the 5E instructional model with the purposeful integration of the PhET "Forces and Motion: Basics" simulation within a TPACK-informed framework. The instructional sequence includes elicitation of prior conceptions, guided simulation-based exploration, collaborative explanation, application to everyday contexts, formative assessment, and reflection. Connections with mathematics, technology and safety, environmental education, and digital literacy are also considered, together with practical implementation challenges and possible extensions. Drawing on relevant physics education research, the proposed approach is expected to support conceptual understanding, student engagement, collaborative learning, and the development of scientific reasoning. The scenario offers a practical framework for connecting Newtonian mechanics with observable phenomena and meaningful everyday applications.
Keywords: Newton's First Law, Inertia, Conceptual Change, 5E Instructional Model, PhET Simulations, TPACK
How to Cite?: Georgios D. Natsiopoulos, "Addressing Aristotelian Misconceptions: Fostering Conceptual Understanding of Inertia through Interactive Digital Environments", Volume 15 Issue 9, September 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 879-883, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26913145042, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26913145042