Is conceptual understanding compromised by a problem-solving emphasis in an introductory physics course?

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ridenour ◽  
G. Feldman ◽  
R. Teodorescu ◽  
L. Medsker ◽  
N. Benmouna
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Introductory Physics ◽  
Physics Course

Physical Aesthetics: An Introductory Physics Course Through Metaphor

Leonardo ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 476-476
Author(s):  
Steven Zides
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Introductory Physics ◽  
Liberal Arts Institutions ◽  
The Past ◽  
Daunting Task ◽  
Bachelor Of Arts ◽  
Solving Equations ◽  
Educational Paradigm ◽  
Physics Course

At liberal arts institutions, physics faculty struggle with the daunting task of creating a Bachelor of Arts physics offering (often referred to as Physics for Poets) that is both engaging and approachable. Over the past several years, the author has worked toward a new educational paradigm that presents introductory physics as a set of physical metaphors rather than an incomplete collage of problem-solving equations. By engaging the physical metaphors from both traditional physics and art historical viewpoints, students are forced to integrate two seemingly disparate sets of information into a cohesive knowledge base.

scholarly journals Samani and Pan (2021) Interleaving enhances memory and problem-solving skills in physics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOSHUA SAMANI ◽  
Steven C. Pan
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Introductory Physics ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
University Level ◽  
Physics Course

We investigated whether continuously alternating between topics during practice, or interleaved practice, improves memory and the ability to solve problems in undergraduate physics. Over eight weeks, students in two lecture sections of a university-level introductory physics course completed thrice-weekly homework assignments, each containing problems that were interleaved (i.e., alternating topics) or conventionally arranged (i.e., one topic practiced at a time). On two surprise criterial tests containing novel and more challenging problems, students recalled more relevant information and more frequently produced correct solutions after having engaged in interleaved practice (with observed median improvements of 50% on test 1 and 125% on test 2). Despite benefiting more from interleaved practice, students tended to rate the technique as more difficult and incorrectly believed that they learned less from it. Thus, in a domain that entails considerable amounts of problem-solving, replacing conventionally-arranged with interleaved homework can (despite perceptions to the contrary) foster longer-lasting and more generalizable learning.

scholarly journals Topic Order in Introductory Physics and its Impact on the STEM Curricular Ladder

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa L Larkin
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Introductory Physics ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Physics Courses ◽  
Introductory Course ◽  
Electricity And Magnetism ◽  
Physics Course ◽  
Introductory Physics Courses

Introductory physics courses are an important rung on the curricular ladder in STEM. These courses help to strengthen students critical thinking and problem solving skills while simultaneously introducing them to many topics they will explore in more detail in later courses in physics and engineering. For these reasons, introductory physics is a required element on the curricular ladder. Most often, introductory physics is offered as a two-semester sequence with basic mechanics being taught in the first semester and electricity and magnetism in the second. In fact, this curricular sequence has not been altered in decades. Is there a reason for this? There are many other enduring questions that arise pertaining to these foundation courses in physics. These questions include: Does taking the introductory course sequence “out of order” have an impact on student learning in physics? What topics should be taught? When should these topics be taught? What topics could be left out? The list of questions is essentially endless. This paper will address some of these questions in part, through a brief discussion on student learning in a second-semester algebra-based physics course. Connections will also be made to the broader curricular ladder in STEM. To this end, an illustration that makes connections to an engineering statics course will be presented. This discussion will conclude by presenting some broader implications for the larger STEM communities.

scholarly journals Interleaved practice enhances memory and problem-solving ability in undergraduate physics

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Samani ◽  
Steven C. Pan
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Introductory Physics ◽  
University Level ◽  
Physics Course

AbstractWe investigated whether continuously alternating between topics during practice, or interleaved practice, improves memory and the ability to solve problems in undergraduate physics. Over 8 weeks, students in two lecture sections of a university-level introductory physics course completed thrice-weekly homework assignments, each containing problems that were interleaved (i.e., alternating topics) or conventionally arranged (i.e., one topic practiced at a time). On two surprise criterial tests containing novel and more challenging problems, students recalled more relevant information and more frequently produced correct solutions after having engaged in interleaved practice (with observed median improvements of 50% on test 1 and 125% on test 2). Despite benefiting more from interleaved practice, students tended to rate the technique as more difficult and incorrectly believed that they learned less from it. Thus, in a domain that entails considerable amounts of problem-solving, replacing conventionally arranged with interleaved homework can (despite perceptions to the contrary) foster longer lasting and more generalizable learning.

Explicit teaching of problem categorization using concept mapping, and an exploratory study of its effect on student achievement and on conceptual understanding – the case of chemical equilibrium problems

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonios Bakolis ◽  
Dimitrios Stamovlasis ◽  
Georgios Tsaparlis
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Concept Mapping ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Chemical Equilibrium ◽  
Concept Maps ◽  
Equilibrium Problems ◽  
Solution Process ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Memory

Abstract A crucial step in problem solving is the retrieval of already learned schemata from long-term memory, a process which may be facilitated by categorization of the problem. The way knowledge is organized affects its availability, and, at the same time, it constitutes the important difference between experts and novices. The present study employed concept maps in a novel way, as a categorization tool for chemical equilibrium problems. The objective was to determine whether providing specific practice in problem categorization improves student achievement in problem solving and in conceptual understanding. Two groups of eleventh-grade students from two special private seminars in Corfu island, Greece, were used: the treatment group (N = 19) and the control group (N = 21). Results showed that the categorization helped students to improve their achievement, but the improvement was not always statistically significant. Students at lower (Piagetian) developmental level (in our sample, students at the transitional stage) had a larger improvement, which was statistically significant with a high effect size. Finally, Nakhleh’s categorization scheme, distinguishing algorithmic versus conceptual subproblems in the solution process, was studied. Dependency of problem solving on an organized knowledge base and the significance of concept mapping on student achievement were the conclusion.

Making sense of sensemaking: using the sensemaking epistemic game to investigate student discourse during a collaborative gas law activity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin H. Hunter ◽  
Jon-Marc G. Rodriguez ◽  
Nicole M. Becker
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Ideal Gas ◽  
Interactive Simulation ◽  
Structural Components ◽  
Student Discourse ◽  
Coding Scheme ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Ideal Gas Law ◽  
The Ideal

Beyond students’ ability to manipulate variables and solve problems, chemistry instructors are also interested in students developing a deeper conceptual understanding of chemistry, that is, engaging in the process of sensemaking. The concept of sensemaking transcends problem-solving and focuses on students recognizing a gap in knowledge and working to construct an explanation that resolves this gap, leading them to “make sense” of a concept. Here, we focus on adapting and applying sensemaking as a framework to analyze three groups of students working through a collaborative gas law activity. The activity was designed around the learning cycle to aid students in constructing the ideal gas law using an interactive simulation. For this analysis, we characterized student discourse using the structural components of the sensemaking epistemic game using a deductive coding scheme. Next, we further analyzed students’ epistemic form by assessing features of the activity and student discourse related to sensemaking: whether the question was framed in a real-world context, the extent of student engagement in robust explanation building, and analysis of written scientific explanations. Our work provides further insight regarding the application and use of the sensemaking framework for analyzing students’ problem solving by providing a framework for inferring the depth with which students engage in the process of sensemaking.

Untangling Geometric Ideas

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 508-515
Author(s):  
Claudia R. Burgess
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Wassily Kandinsky ◽  
Group Cooperation

This geometry lesson uses the work of abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky as a springboard and is intended to promote the conceptual understanding of mathematics through problem solving, group cooperation, mathematical negotiations, and dialogue.

VARIOUS KINDS OF PROBLEMS IN AN ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM ASSESSMENT WITHIN AN INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS COURSE FOR CHEMISTRY MAJORS

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukáš Richterek ◽  
◽  
František Látal ◽  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Introductory Physics ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Assessment Data ◽  
Score Difference ◽  
Electricity And Magnetism ◽  
Graph Reading ◽  
Conceptual Problems ◽  
Physics Course

An assessment is described in the introductory physics course for chemistry major students with the focus on solving problems from the electricity and magnetism. The experiences are summarised, obtained during the academic years 2014/2015, 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 from a multiple-choice test passed by 390 chemistry majors at the Faculty of Science in Olomouc. Various kinds of quiz problems were used, which can be divided into three categories: conceptual questions, numerical questions, questions with chart reading and interpretation. In the study assessment data are summarised and the score difference, achieved in the mentioned problem categories, is identified. The results did not prove that conceptual problems were more difficult for the set of students, but it is suggested, that students are more successful in the whole test to reach better scores in graph reading questions. Keywords: chemistry majors, physics course, university students.

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