78,852 research outputs found
Understanding Student Computational Thinking with Computational Modeling
Recently, the National Research Council's framework for next generation
science standards highlighted "computational thinking" as one of its
"fundamental practices". 9th Grade students taking a physics course that
employed the Modeling Instruction curriculum were taught to construct
computational models of physical systems. Student computational thinking was
assessed using a proctored programming assignment, written essay, and a series
of think-aloud interviews, where the students produced and discussed a
computational model of a baseball in motion via a high-level programming
environment (VPython). Roughly a third of the students in the study were
successful in completing the programming assignment. Student success on this
assessment was tied to how students synthesized their knowledge of physics and
computation. On the essay and interview assessments, students displayed unique
views of the relationship between force and motion; those who spoke of this
relationship in causal (rather than observational) terms tended to have more
success in the programming exercise.Comment: preprint to submit to PERC proceedings 201
A Multi-Gene Genetic Programming Application for Predicting Students Failure at School
Several efforts to predict student failure rate (SFR) at school accurately
still remains a core problem area faced by many in the educational sector. The
procedure for forecasting SFR are rigid and most often times require data
scaling or conversion into binary form such as is the case of the logistic
model which may lead to lose of information and effect size attenuation. Also,
the high number of factors, incomplete and unbalanced dataset, and black boxing
issues as in Artificial Neural Networks and Fuzzy logic systems exposes the
need for more efficient tools. Currently the application of Genetic Programming
(GP) holds great promises and has produced tremendous positive results in
different sectors. In this regard, this study developed GPSFARPS, a software
application to provide a robust solution to the prediction of SFR using an
evolutionary algorithm known as multi-gene genetic programming. The approach is
validated by feeding a testing data set to the evolved GP models. Result
obtained from GPSFARPS simulations show its unique ability to evolve a suitable
failure rate expression with a fast convergence at 30 generations from a
maximum specified generation of 500. The multi-gene system was also able to
minimize the evolved model expression and accurately predict student failure
rate using a subset of the original expressionComment: 14 pages, 9 figures, Journal paper. arXiv admin note: text overlap
with arXiv:1403.0623 by other author
Investigating the role of model-based reasoning while troubleshooting an electric circuit
We explore the overlap of two nationally-recognized learning outcomes for
physics lab courses, namely, the ability to model experimental systems and the
ability to troubleshoot a malfunctioning apparatus. Modeling and
troubleshooting are both nonlinear, recursive processes that involve using
models to inform revisions to an apparatus. To probe the overlap of modeling
and troubleshooting, we collected audiovisual data from think-aloud activities
in which eight pairs of students from two institutions attempted to diagnose
and repair a malfunctioning electrical circuit. We characterize the cognitive
tasks and model-based reasoning that students employed during this activity. In
doing so, we demonstrate that troubleshooting engages students in the core
scientific practice of modeling.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables; Submitted to Physical Review PE
Developing The Attitude And Creativity In Mathematics Education
The structures in a traditionally-organized classroom of mathematics teaching can usually be linked
readily with the routine classroom activities of teacher-exposition and teacher-supervised desk work,
teacher’s initiation, teacher’s direction and strongly teacher’s expectations of the outcome of student learning.
If the teacher wants to develop appropriate attitude and creativities in mathematics teaching learning it needs
for him to develop innovation in mathematics teaching. The teacher may face challenge to develop various
style of teaching i.e. various and flexible method of teaching, discussion method, problem-based method,
various style of classroom interaction, contextual and or realistic mathematics approach.
To develop mathematical attitude and creativity in mathematics teaching learning processes, the
teacher may understand the nature and have the highly skill of implementing the aspects of the following:
mathematics teaching materials, teacher’s preparation, student’s motivation and apperception, various
interactions, small-group discussions, student’s works sheet development, students’ presentations, teacher’s
facilitations, students’ conclusions, and the scheme of cognitive development.In the broader sense of developing attitude and creativity of mathematics learning, the teacher may needs to in-depth understanding of the nature of school mathematics, the nature of students learn mathematics and the nature of constructivism in learning mathematics.
Key Word: mathematical attitude, creativity in mathematics, innovation of mathematics teaching,school mathematics
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