111 research outputs found
Refined Characterization of Student Perspectives on Quantum Physics
The perspectives of introductory classical physics students can often
negatively influence how those students later interpret quantum phenomena when
taking an introductory course in modern physics. A detailed exploration of
student perspectives on the interpretation of quantum physics is needed, both
to characterize student understanding of physics concepts, and to inform how we
might teach traditional content. Our previous investigations of student
perspectives on quantum physics have indicated they can be highly nuanced, and
may vary both within and across contexts. In order to better understand the
contextual and often seemingly contradictory stances of students on matters of
interpretation, we interviewed 19 students from four introductory modern
physics courses taught at the University of Colorado. We find that students
have attitudes and opinions that often parallel the stances of expert
physicists when arguing for their favored interpretations of quantum mechanics,
allowing for more nuanced characterizations of student perspectives in terms of
three key interpretive themes. We present a framework for characterizing
student perspectives on quantum mechanics, and demonstrate its utility in
interpreting the sometimes-contradictory nature of student responses to
previous surveys. We further find that students most often vacillate in their
responses when what makes intuitive sense to them is not in agreement with what
they consider to be a correct response, underscoring the need to distinguish
between the personal and the public perspectives of introductory modern physics
students.Comment: 24 pages, 31 references, 1 Appendix (5 pages
Interpretive Themes in Quantum Physics: Curriculum Development and Outcomes
A common learning goal for modern physics instructors is for students to
recognize a difference between the experimental uncertainty of classical
physics and the fundamental uncertainty of quantum mechanics. Our prior work
has shown that student perspectives on the physical interpretation of quantum
mechanics can be characterized, and are differentially influenced by the myriad
ways instructors approach interpretive themes in their introductory courses. We
report how a transformed modern physics curriculum (recently implemented at the
University of Colorado) has positively impacted student perspectives on quantum
physics, by making questions of classical and quantum reality a central theme
of the course, but also by making the beliefs of students (and not just those
of scientists) an explicit topic of discussion.Comment: Supporting materials available at
http://tinyurl.com/baily-dissertatio
Teaching Quantum Interpretations: Revisiting the goals and practices of introductory quantum physics courses
Most introductory quantum physics instructors would agree that transitioning
students from classical to quantum thinking is an important learning goal, but
may disagree on whether or how this can be accomplished. Although (and perhaps
because) physicists have long debated the physical interpretation of quantum
theory, many instructors choose to avoid emphasizing interpretive themes; or
they discuss the views of scientists in their classrooms, but do not adequately
attend to student interpretations. In this synthesis and extension of prior
work, we demonstrate: (1) instructors vary in their approaches to teaching
interpretive themes; (2) different instructional approaches have differential
impacts on student thinking; and (3) when student interpretations go
unattended, they often develop their own (sometimes scientifically undesirable)
views. We introduce here a new modern physics curriculum that explicitly
attends to student interpretations, and provide evidence-based arguments that
doing so helps them to develop more consistent interpretations of quantum
phenomena, more sophisticated views of uncertainty, and greater interest in
quantum physics.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures; submitted to PRST-PER: Focused Collection on
Upper-Division PER. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1409.849
Interpretation in Quantum Physics as Hidden Curriculum
Prior research has demonstrated how the realist perspectives of classical
physics students can translate into specific beliefs about quantum phenomena
when taking an introductory modern physics course. Student beliefs regarding
the interpretation of quantum mechanics often vary by context, and are most
often in alignment with instructional goals in topic areas where instructors
are explicit in promoting a particular perspective. Moreover, students are more
likely to maintain realist perspectives in topic areas where instructors are
less explicit in addressing interpretive themes, thereby making such issues
part of a hidden curriculum. We discuss various approaches to addressing
student perspectives and interpretive themes in a modern physics course, and
explore the associated impacts on student thinking
The Perceived Value of College Physics Textbooks: Students and Instructors May Not See Eye to Eye
of the authors
Development and Validation of the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics
As part of a comprehensive effort to transform our undergraduate physics
laboratories and evaluate the impacts of these efforts, we have developed the
Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics
(E-CLASS). The E-CLASS assesses the changes in students' attitudes about a
variety of scientific laboratory practices before and after a lab course and
compares attitudes with perceptions of the course grading requirements and
laboratory practices. The E-CLASS is designed to give researchers insight into
students' attitudes and also to provide actionable evidence to instructors
looking for feedback on their courses. We present the development, validation,
and preliminary results from the initial implementation of the survey in three
undergraduate physics lab courses.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, submitted to 2012 PERC Proceeding
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