Ronny Kjelsberg
@ntnu.edu
Department of Physics
NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Thechnology
Ronny Kjelsberg is an Assistant Professor of Physics at the Department of Physics at NTNU, presently deputy head of department for education. He holds an MSc in theoretical physics and has worked in physics and engineering education since 2003. In addition to teaching physics, he has been responsible for developing the course ‘Introduction to the Engineering Profession’ since 2011, attempting to integrate Bildung elements in engineering education, and has written the textbook for the course which came with its 2nd edition in 2022. His research and development interests include the systemic interplay between science, technology, and society, and how to integrate the knowledge of this in STEM education.
EDUCATION
. in Physics, NTNU 2003
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
General Physics and Astronomy, Education, Multidisciplinary
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scopus Publications
Ronny Kjelsberg and Trond Morten Thorseth
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
This paper discusses the role popular science and science dissemination texts can have in learning physics in higher education for physics students and technical physics engineering students. In a mixed-methods study, students' attitudes, experienced motivation, and learning is mapped through a quantitative survey (N=155) and two qualitative surveys with in-depth interviews, one with six master level students and one with four 1st year students. The interview data shed light on two aspects of popular science's role in learning physics. Students report that reading popular science is highly motivating, but they do not have the perception of having learned physics from it. This converges with a division between calculations and conceptual understanding among the students. The paper then questions whether this gap could be closed or made smaller with greater emphasis on conceptual understanding in physics classes.