Using visualizations to teach electrostatics

Abstract

We investigate the effect of visualizations of electrostatics phenomena on students’ ability to integrate microscopic and macroscopic views of electrostatics in the context of a technology-enhanced inquiry project that features particle interactions. We used knowledge integration instructional design patterns to determine activity sequences. A pretest/post-test design was used to assess the students’ overall gains. The results from the implementation of the project in two classes demonstrate that it helped students form a more integrated understanding of electrostatics. An analysis of student responses to prompts embedded with the visualizations reveals that interactions with the visualizations played a significant role in increasing understanding.

Synthesis of discipline-based education research in physics

“…Steinberg [346] did not find performance differences between students who interacted with a simulation for learning air resistance compared to those who completed paper-and-pencil versions; however, students who interacted with computer simulations were more reliant upon the computer to provide them with the correct answer. Computer visualization tools have been shown to be particularly effective for abstract concepts in electricity and magnetism, such as the concept of a field [217,218,249,335,347]. Although textbooks often include access to online visualization or animation tools, research support for their development and effectiveness is not always available and/or cited [348].…”

An investigation of teacher impact on student inquiry science performance using a hierarchical linear model

“…Knowledge integration theory includes four principles for the development of instructional material, consisting of (1) making thinking visible through the use of multiple representations (Casperson & Linn, 2006; Lee, Linn, Varma, & Liu, 2010), (2) making science accessible through the use of everyday experiences and applications (Linn & Hsi, 2000; Linn & Muilenburg, 1996), (3) learning from others through the use of collaborations in and out of classrooms (Clark & Linn, 2003), and (4) promoting lifelong learning through the use of scaffolded reflections (Bell & Davis, 2000; Davis, 2003; Davis & Linn, 2000). These empirically tested knowledge integration principles were used to develop the ten technology‐enhanced inquiry science units used in this study.…”

Young students' understanding of the relationship between inheritance and variation of traits using structural equation modeling

“…These pivotal cases also link existing ideas to normative perspectives (Linn & Hsi, ). Making thinking visible involves modeling and evaluating how science ideas are connected (e.g., Casperson & Linn, ; Gobert & Buckley, ; McNeill, Lizotte, Krajcik, & Marx, ; Schwarz & White, ; White & Frederiksen, ). Learning from others involves placing students in collaborative learning situations (Clark & Linn, ).…”