Bridging the gap between structures and properties: An investigation and evaluation of students\u27 representational competence

The heart of learning chemistry is the ability to connect a compound\u27s structure to its function; Lewis structures provide an essential link in this process. In many cases, their construction is taught using an algorithmic approach, containing a set of step-by-step rules. We believe that this approach is in direct conflict with the precepts of meaningful learning. From a sequential, mixed methods study, we found that students have much difficulty constructing these structures and that the step-by-step rules do not make use of students\u27 relevant prior knowledge. This causes students to develop \u27home grown\u27 rules when unsure of how to progress with the construction process. It also became clear that most students are uncertain of the importance of Lewis structures since they perceive them as being useful only for obtaining structural information but not property information. Using responses from student interviews and open ended questions, the Information from Lewis Structures Survey (ILSS) was developed, validated, and found reliable to assess students\u27 representational competence by determining their understanding of the purpose of Lewis structures. Since students had many problems with the relationship of structures and properties, an alternative curriculum was evaluated to determine if it could help students develop a more meaningful understanding of this process. This instruction was part of a larger NSF-funded general chemistry curriculum redesign called Chemistry, Life, the Universe and Everything (CLUE). Using a control and treatment group, the effectiveness of this new curriculum was evaluated for two main aspects: 1. the students\u27 ability to construct Lewis structures using OrganicPad and 2. the students\u27 representational competence using the ILSS. Through four main studies (a pilot study, instructor effect study, main study, and retention study), we found that the CLUE curriculum helps students develop more expert-like strategies for constructing Lewis structures and a better understanding of why these structures are important by encouraging more meaningfully learning

Scientific Representational Fluency:Defining, Diagnosing, and Developing

This thesis advocates the importance of representational fluency in physics education. Multiple representations in science (e.g. graphs, words, equations, and diagrams) has been an area of much interest in physics education research in recent years. Representational fluency, however, is a somewhat novel idea. The thesis argues that this little-used term, representational fluency, is a way to draw together various ideas on how and why the use of multiple representations is important for physics students, educators, and education researchers alike. Representational fluency is investigated by considering three questions: what is representational fluency; what role does representational fluency play in physics learning; and how can students’ development of representational fluency be facilitated? This thesis explores these questions through the format of an introduction, five journal articles, and a general discussion combining the conclusions of each paper. The first paper presents the development, use, and publication of a survey to measure representational fluency, the Representational Fluency Survey (RFS), which is the first of such surveys in the literature. The RFS is a seven item survey which involves the participant solving problems that are difficult due to the representations in the question, rather than the level of physics content knowledge. A second paper illustrates how the RFS is used to further develop our understanding of representational fluency. The RFS allowed diagnosis of significant differences in the levels of representational fluency of different cohorts of students at the University of Sydney and identification of various features of students with a high level of representational fluency. It was found that the representational fluency of students with a higher level of physics learning experience was significantly greater than that of students with a lower level of physics learning experience and the difference was evident even within the first year cohort. Due to the apparent disparity of levels of representational fluency amongst different cohorts of students at the university, the subsequent three papers relate to research into effective pedagogies that facilitate the development of representational fluency. A format of presenting direct instruction on a particular physics representation through worksheets and consolidating this knowledge with applied questions was trialled as a possible method of instruction. It was found to alter the way that students use representations in following questions. This was done in the context of students in their final year of high school. The format was adapted to suit a university physics course in the structure of a semester-long set of weekly online learning modules designed to introduce students to representations relevant to the upcoming week’s lectures. The uptake and effectiveness of online learning modules was investigated first: it was found that university students were willing to participate in the modules and that the modules were of benefit to student engagement as intended in their design. Therefore, an experiment was conducted with the first year physics students at the University of Sydney. The students were randomly separated into two streams. One stream participated in weekly online learning modules focussed on relevant physics representations, the other stream participated in similar modules which more conventionally focussed on relevant physics concepts. Using the RFS as a pre-post test, it was found that students participating in the modules on physics representations had the largest learning gains in representational fluency. This demonstrates an effective pedagogical tool to support students in developing their representational fluency. Using an established test of conceptual physics understanding, it was also found that the students from each stream of online learning modules developed conceptual physics knowledge by comparative amounts across the semester. In these ways, this thesis advocates the importance of representational fluency, through defining, diagnosing, and developing representational fluency of university students

IMPACT OF VISUALIZATION ON TEACHING AND LEARNING PHYSICS AT SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL

There involves an overt component of visualization in physics and helping students to visualize the needed areas in physics using suitable external representations is a way to strengthen students’ familiarity with the visualization aspect embedded therein. This study is a field experiment made around evaluating the effectiveness of emphasizing the visualization aspect in two secondary school physics lessons, kinematics and Newton’s laws of motion, by way of utilizing the visual mode of external representation in the form of computer aided learning materials such as suitable diagrams shown through computer screen, video clips, animations and simulations. A pre-test and post-test experimental design was used in the study by getting the participation of 184 secondary school students (grade 10) in three government schools in Sri Lanka. A physics test capable of assessing students’ attainment in visualizing the identified areas in the two lessons called Visualization Related Physics Test (VRPT) which is a lesson specific assessment tool was developed. The VRPT is a reliable instrument which showed acceptable Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.711. The experimental group has shown an overall gain of about 14% at post-test administration of VRPT compared to the pre-test administration whereas the corresponding gain in the control group was about 1%. The students’ view on the approach was evaluated using a questionnaire and their views were favorable. It is concluded in this study that emphasizing the visualization aspect at classroom teaching by paying a deliberate attention can be used as a remedial measure for improving students’ physics performance.  Article visualizations

Concrete Model VS Virtual Model: Roles and Implications in Chemistry Learning

Mastering the topic of symmetry requires a good representational competence to smoothly understand, visualize, and manipulate the movement of three-dimensional objects. This literature study aimed to describe how concrete and virtual media can be utilized in improving students’ understanding of the topic. The study implies that the thinking process, cognitive tasks, interactions, mental models, and the completeness features displayed by the two models in identifying all symmetrical operations are the distinguishing factors of the effectiveness of the two formats in affecting students’ understanding. The study also implies that the virtual format will contribute to students’ understanding better than the concrete format does. However, the empirical study must be explored further to ensure the difference between the two formats

Characterizing representational learning : a combined simulation and tutorial on perturbation theory

We thank the University of St. Andrews for funding the development of simulations.Analyzing, constructing and translating between graphical, pictorial and mathematical representations of physics ideas and reasoning flexibly through them ("representational competence'') is a key characteristic of expertise in physics but is a challenge for learners to develop. Interactive computer simulations and University of Washington style tutorials both have affordances to support representational learning. This article describes work to characterize students' spontaneous use of representations before and after working with a combined simulation and tutorial on first-order energy corrections in the context of quantum-mechanical time-independent perturbation theory. Data were collected from two institutions using pre-, mid- and post-tests to assess short- and long-term gains. A representational competence level framework was adapted to devise level descriptors for the assessment items. The results indicate an increase in the number of representations used by students and the consistency between them following the combined simulation tutorial. The distributions of representational competence levels suggest a shift from perceptual to semantic use of representations based on their underlying meaning. In terms of activity design, this study illustrates the need to support students in making sense of the representations shown in a simulation and in learning to choose the most appropriate representation for a given task. In terms of characterizing representational abilities, this study illustrates the usefulness of a framework focusing on perceptual, syntactic and semantic use of representations.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Characterizing lab instructors' self-reported learning goals to inform development of an experimental modeling skills assessment

The ability to develop, use, and refine models of experimental systems is a nationally recognized learning outcome for undergraduate physics lab courses. However, no assessments of students' model-based reasoning exist for upper-division labs. This study is the first step toward development of modeling assessments for optics and electronics labs. In order to identify test objectives that are likely relevant across many institutional contexts, we interviewed 35 lab instructors about the ways they incorporate modeling in their course learning goals and activities. The study design was informed by the Modeling Framework for Experimental Physics. This framework conceptualizes modeling as consisting of multiple subtasks: making measurements, constructing system models, comparing data to predictions, proposing causes for discrepancies, and enacting revisions to models or apparatus. We found that each modeling subtask was identified by multiple instructors as an important learning outcome for their course. Based on these results, we argue that test objectives should include probing students' competence with most modeling subtasks, and test items should be designed to elicit students' justifications for choosing particular modeling pathways. In addition to discussing these and other implications for assessment, we also identify future areas of research related to the role of modeling in optics and electronics labs.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figures, 5 tables; submitted to Phys. Rev. PE

Using Formative Assessment to Build Coherence Between Educational Policy and Classroom Practice: A Case Study Using Inquiry in Science

In this paper we argue that the complexity of education systems can lead to a lack of coherence in the implementation of policy. More effective educational change requires policy-makers and researchers to pay more attention to supporting teachers in classrooms. As an example, we consider decades of research attempts in STEM education to implement learning through inquiry and note there has been little change in teaching practices in classrooms. Using formative assessment in science education as a case study, we developed a rubric for teachers that embeds key aspects of the desired pedagogy. We argue this builds teachers’ confidence to implement the change in their classrooms and we claim this same principle may apply to the development of rubrics for in other disciplines, and easily incorporated by researchers into professional learning programs

Online discussion compensates for suboptimal timing of supportive information presentation in a digitally supported learning environment

This study used a sequential set-up to investigate the consecutive effects of timing of supportive information presentation (information before vs. information during the learning task clusters) in interactive digital learning materials (IDLMs) and type of collaboration (personal discussion vs. online discussion) in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) on student knowledge construction. Students (N = 87) were first randomly assigned to the two information presentation conditions to work individually on a case-based assignment in IDLM. Students who received information during learning task clusters tended to show better results on knowledge construction than those who received information only before each cluster. The students within the two separate information presentation conditions were then randomly assigned to pairs to discuss the outcomes of their assignments under either the personal discussion or online discussion condition in CSCL. When supportive information had been presented before each learning task cluster, online discussion led to better results than personal discussion. When supportive information had been presented during the learning task clusters, however, the online and personal discussion conditions had no differential effect on knowledge construction. Online discussion in CSCL appeared to compensate for suboptimal timing of presentation of supportive information before the learning task clusters in IDLM

Learning from Physics Education Research: Lessons for Economics Education

We believe that economists have much to learn from educational research practices and related pedagogical innovations in other disciplines, in particular physics education. In this paper we identify three key features of physics education research that distinguish it from economics education research - (1) the intentional grounding of physics education research in learning science principles, (2) a shared conceptual research framework focused on how students learn physics concepts, and (3) a cumulative process of knowledge-building in the discipline - and describe their influence on new teaching pedagogies, instructional activities, and curricular design in physics education. In addition, we highlight four specific examples of successful pedagogical innovations drawn from physics education - context-rich problems, concept tests, just-in-time teaching, and interactive lecture demonstrations - and illustrate how these practices can be adapted for economic education.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Journal of Economic Education, also available from Social Science Research Network <http://ssrn.com/abstract=1151430