The combined effect of mathematics skills and formal operational reasoning on student performance in the general physics course

Hudson, H. T.; Liberman, Dov

doi:10.1119/1.12895

Cited by 23 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This is slightly higher than the values of 0.35-0.42 found by Hudson,7 perhaps because of our procedure for constructing the math pretest. These results show conclusively that the initial knowledge measured by the two pretests has a significant effect on course performance.…”

Section: A Prediction Of Student Performance In Physicscontrasting

confidence: 50%

The initial knowledge state of college physics students

Halloun

Hestenes

1985

American Journal of Physics

804

440

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: A Prediction Of Student Performance In Physicscontrasting

confidence: 50%

The initial knowledge state of college physics students

Halloun

Hestenes

1985

American Journal of Physics

804

440

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Buick, 2007;Hudson & Liberman, 1982;Meltzer, 2002;Redish, 2006;Tuminaro & Redish, 2007), but this body of research on mathematics in physics education does not explore which particular mathematical competencies are pertinent to performance in physics tasks and assessment items. Duit (2007) concluded his review of physics education by stating that more research is needed "To design models of students' competency structures, drawing on data from achievement tests, favorably in a longitudinal perspective" (p. 623).…”

Section: Introduction and Aimsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous research within mathematics in physics education seems to be divided along these two groups of difficulties. Studies within the first group often explore correlations between mathematical skills and success in physics achievement (e.g., Buick, 2007;Halloun & Hestenes, 1985;Hudson & Liberman, 1982;Knight, 1995;Lawrenz et al, 2009;Meltzer, 2002;Sadler & Tai, 2001). For instance, Meltzer (2002) studied the correlation between learning gains in physics and mathematical skills.…”

Section: Introduction and Aimsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mathematical competencies and the role of mathematics in physics education: A trend analysis of TIMSS Advanced 1995 and 2008

Nilsen¹,

Angell²,

Grønmo³

2013

ADNO

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As students advance in their learning of physics over the course of their education, the requirement of mathematical applications in physics-related tasks increases, especially so in upper secondary school and in higher education. Yet there is little empirical work (particularly large-scale or longitudinal) on the application of mathematics in physics education compared with the research related to the conceptual knowledge of physics. In order to clarify the nature of mathematics in physics education, we developed a theoretical framework for mathematical competencies pertinent to various physics tasks based on theoretical frameworks from mathematics and physics education. We used this synthesis of frameworks as a basis to create a model for physics competence. The framework also served as a tool for analyzing and categorizing trend items from the international large-scale survey, TIMSS Advanced 1995 and 2008. TIMSS Advanced assessed students in upper secondary school with special preparation in advanced physics and mathematics. We then investigated the changes in achievements on these categorized items across time for nations who participated in both surveys. The results from our analysis indicate that students whose overall physics achievement declined struggled the most with items requiring mathematics, especially items requiring them to handle symbols, such as manipulating equations. This finding suggests the importance of collaboration between mathematics and physics education as well as the importance of traditional algebra for physics education.

show abstract

“…Using the same instrument as a pretest, Hudson and Liberman [19] found R 2 ¼ 0:19 for a regression of the formal operational reasoning pretest against the final course grade. They also investigated the effect of mathematical reasoning ability using a mathematics pretest and found R 2 ¼ 0:12 in a regression against final course grade.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A regression by Hudson and Liberman [19] using both logical reasoning pretest scores and mathematical reasoning pretest scores on final course grades yielded R 2 ¼ 0:27. Wollman and Lawrenz [20] measured R 2 ¼ 0:57 using total grade point average (GPA), ACT score, and a mathematics pretest score when regressed upon the test average.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using time-on-task measurements to understand student performance in a physics class: A four-year study

Stewart

Taylor

2012

Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Student use of out-of-class time was measured for four years in the introductory second-semester calculus-based physics course at the University of Arkansas. Two versions of the course were presented during the time of the measurement. In both versions, the total out-of-class time a student invested in the course explained less than 1% of the variance in test average and in normalized gain on the Conceptual Survey in Electricity and Magnetism. The details of how students used their out-of-class time explained from 21% to 36% of the variance in test average and 19% to 37% of the variance in normalized gain. The amount of time spent on the course increased as the course was made more difficult, but less than would be expected based on the changes in the course. Students changed their allocation of out-of-class time based on their performance within the course as the course progressed.

show abstract

The combined effect of mathematics skills and formal operational reasoning on student performance in the general physics course

Cited by 23 publications

References 0 publications

The initial knowledge state of college physics students

The initial knowledge state of college physics students

Mathematical competencies and the role of mathematics in physics education: A trend analysis of TIMSS Advanced 1995 and 2008

Using time-on-task measurements to understand student performance in a physics class: A four-year study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About