A research-based approach to improving student understanding of the vector nature of kinematical concepts

Shaffer, Peter S.; McDermott, Lillian C.

doi:10.1119/1.2000976

Cited by 115 publications

(108 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…This type of confusion-students interchanging average and instantaneous velocity for objects that are not experiencing constant acceleration-has been documented in the PER literature among first-semester calculus-based physics students in the context of kinematics [4,14]. The second most common incorrect response given was a ranking consistent with the value of the function at each point rather than the slope at each point.…”

Section: Difficulties In Mathematics Consistent With Physics Difficulmentioning

confidence: 98%

Investigating graphical representations of slope and derivative without a physics context

Christensen

Thompson

2012

Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res.

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By analysis of student use of mathematics in responses to conceptual physics questions, as well as analogous math questions stripped of physical meaning, we have previously found evidence that students often enter upper-level physics courses lacking the assumed prerequisite mathematics knowledge and/or the ability to apply it productively in a physics context. As an extension from this work on students' mathematical competency at the upper level in physics, we report on a preliminary investigation of mathematical understanding of fundamental concepts of slope and derivative among students in a thirdsemester multivariable calculus course. Among the first published findings of physics education research are investigations on students' understanding of kinematics, with particular attention to graphical representations of position-, velocity-, and acceleration-versus-time graphs. Underlying these physical quantities are relationships that depend on derivatives and slopes. We report on our findings as we attempt to isolate students' understanding of these mathematical concepts.

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Section: Difficulties In Mathematics Consistent With Physics Difficulmentioning

confidence: 98%

Investigating graphical representations of slope and derivative without a physics context

Christensen

Thompson

2012

Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res.

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“…Shaffer and McDermott [2] showed that students were better able to subtract vectors when no physical context was involved. When discussing implications for developing tutorial curricula, they cite context as being 'critically important'.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vector Addition in Different Contexts

Southey¹,

Allie²

2015

2014 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings

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Abstract:The acquisition metaphor of learning is often used by teachers of physics: Students are thought to acquire a particular concept and then transfer this concept to new contexts. For example, one might argue that students acquire the mathematical concept of "vector addition" and then apply it in different physical contexts. In this study, 200 freshmen taking an introductory physics course were asked to calculate total force, total displacement and total momentum in simple contexts involving vector addition at right angles. Another similar group of students were asked to calculate net force, net displacement, and net momentum. When asked to calculate the "net" quantity, students did significantly better than when asked to calculate the "total" quantity. Students did significantly worse when adding momenta as opposed to adding forces or displacements. These results are inconsistent with a basic "acquisition-transfer" perspective of learning. An analysis of subsequent interviews and questionnaires was also conducted.

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“…Among the primary needs of elementary and secondary teachers is foundational conceptual understanding of physics content [46][47][48]. Our conceptual learning goal is for learners to conserve energy as they track the transfers and transformations of energy within, into, or out of the system of interest in complex physical processes.…”

Section: Goals For Energy Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Representing energy. I. Representing a substance ontology for energy

Scherr

McKagan

et al. 2012

Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res.

116

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The nature of energy is not typically an explicit topic of physics instruction. Nonetheless, verbal and graphical representations of energy articulate models in which energy is conceptualized as a quasimaterial substance, a stimulus, or a vertical location. We argue that a substance ontology for energy is particularly productive in developing understanding of energy transfers and transformations. We analyze classic representations of energy-bar charts, pie charts, and others-to determine the energy ontologies that are implicit in those representations, and thus their affordances for energy learning. We find that while existing representations partially support a substance ontology for energy and thus the learning goal of energy conservation, they have limited utility for tracking the flow of energy among objects.

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A research-based approach to improving student understanding of the vector nature of kinematical concepts

Cited by 115 publications

References 22 publications

Investigating graphical representations of slope and derivative without a physics context

Investigating graphical representations of slope and derivative without a physics context

Vector Addition in Different Contexts

Representing energy. I. Representing a substance ontology for energy

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