“Wow, It Turned Out Red! First, a Little Yellow, and Then Red!” 1st-Graders’ Work With an Infrared Camera

ABSTRACTThis study focuses on investigating how students make use of their bodily experiences in combination with infrared (IR) cameras, as a way to make meaning in learning about heat, temperature, and friction. A class of 20 primary students (age 7–8 years), divided into three groups, took part in three IR camera laboratory experiments. The qualitative analysis focuses on one group of students (n = 9) based on audio recordings and field notes that were taken by the teacher during one lesson as well as during a follow-up group interview. Findings include that students manage to conceptualize heat as a process, and using the IR camera serves as a shared point of attention in visual and verbal communication. In conclusion, the study shows how students make use of different resources, in combination with and without the IR camera, as a way to make meaning of the physical concepts of heat, temperature, and friction.