The underexplored potentials of thought experimentation in physics education: a systematic review

Abstract Thought experiments (TEs) have demonstrated significance in the history of science and philosophy. These are used in advancing, rediscovering, questioning, and learning concepts. In physics, these were used to discover and explain proposed theories, sometimes to question the validity of one. An emerging field in which TEs are used is the field of physics education. This study synthesized the literature in this field by searching through the databases Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar using the keywords ‘thought experiment’ and ‘physics education’. The selection process followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. A total of fifteen studies were chosen and analysed. Results showed that TEs, a tool previously used in modern physics, were successfully implemented in classical physics, which improved conceptual understanding, cognition, and learning strategies. Students were also able to construct and analyse TEs while working in groups and to utilize TEs in solving physics problems. Although shown helpful in the teaching and learning process, TE as a pedagogical tool is not yet fully utilized even in physics education due to teachers’ lack of knowledge and confidence. Studies on education have been initiated, but how teachers utilize it remains underexplored. Interesting beliefs and practices may be brought to the world for educators to learn from if this gap is addressed.