Research on problem solving in science

Based an in depth bibliographical study, problem solving in science is focused from the point of view of the underlying psychological theories and of explaining factors – such as the nature of the task, the problem solver, and the context – aiming at supporting additional research on this field. A brief presentation of Gowin’s Vee is included as a heuristic tool to critically analyse research studies

Resolución de problemas en Física y aprendizaje significativo. (Primera parte: Revisión de estudios y fundamentos)

DOCTORAL THESIS: ZULMA GANGOSOTHESIS DIRECTORS:DR. MARCO ANTONIO MOREIRAInstituto de Física. Universidad Federal de Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre. Brasil.This work is the first part of a research presented at the Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, to obtain the Doctor Degree in Physics. The main idea presented here is to propase teaching strategies to sol ve problems that take into account the main results of research done in this area. Tliese results, after implementation and evaluation, are to be incorporated to the currículum in such a way that the students can construct meaningfullearning.</p

Representaciones y resolución de problemas en Física

La intención de construir una teoría general de la cognición humana basada en un Único formato representacional ha mostrado ser, hasta el momento, una empresa demasiado ambiciosa. No obstante, en el intento de explicar ciertos fenómenos mentales involucrados en tareas cognitivas particulares, han surgido numerosos formatos representacionales en el ámbito de la Ciencia Cognitiva

Investigación en enseñanza de la Física y la formación de profesores: algunos elementos para la discusión

In the present work sorne data on a set of published communications in the minutes of researchers symposia the IX National Meeting on Physics Education, are presented to study the possibility of their incorporation to the teachers training.This first analysis tends to know, for example: trends of the current investigation, characteristic of the communications, educational leve! of the investigated subjects, and dominant methodological and theoretical aspects.It is a substantially descriptive study andas such intends to detail sorne aspects of the analyzed projects. The presented result ha ve to be understood as data that make possible a reflection to reinforce or reorient investigation lines and to contribute to the discussion that help the definition of investigation policies in the area. In so much the results are not detached from the community that produces them, the one which at the same time is vehicle of their findings, we find that the incorporation of the investigation in the physics teachers institutions must ha ve, without doubt, sorne relationship to the characteristics of the accomplished projects.</p

Obstacles modelling reality: two exploratory studies on physics defined and undefined problems

One important skill to be developed in future physicists is modelling reality using physics. Problem-solving is the activity most used to teach, learn and assess physics skills at the university level. However, most of the problems habitually used in physics subjects seem not to encourage developing this skill. Two empirical exploratory studies were conducted. Educational materials were analysed to contrast the hypothesis asserting that most of the academic problems would not help students to develop the modelling skills. Secondly, with the proposed"Physics Problem Understanding Model", two kinds of experimental problems were elaborated. A small group of experts solved the experimental problems in an interview. The hypothesis stated that there would be evident differences between skills associated with the solving procedures of each type of experimental problem. Results served to contrast the cognitive model proposed for sufficiency and supported the hypotheses even though further studies are needed to obtain external validit

A Cognitive model to analyse physics and chemistry problem-solving skills: mental representations implied in solving actions

In physics and chemistry, the development of problem-solving skills is necessary to become an expert. A simple cognitive model to analyse such development is proposed and tested. An exploratory research was conducted with expert professors and students in initial and advanced years. A think aloud procedure was used to obtain relevant data while the participants tried to solve undefined, open problems. Solving these problems required a particular skill representative of expertise: modelling reality using science. More than 1350 solving actions were collected and related to the mental representations elaborated, developed and inter-related by solvers. The proposed model was able to account for expert-novice differences in terms of the respective distributions of solving actions among the mental representations. Large differences appeared in the mental representation of Conceptual scientific Model. In addition, advanced and initial students showed similar and significant averages of unproductive actions, while experts took very few. Experts showed high convergence in their distributions of actions among the mental representations. If the outcomes were replicated with higher external validity, the model could help researchers to analyse the cognitive mechanisms in problem-solving, and teachers to better focus their efforts on specific students' lacks

La resolución de problemas en física y su representación : un estudio en la escuela media

The present study explores: a) the relationship between certain characteristics of physics (problem statements and the internal representation that students form after reading the statement; b) the correlation between this representation and the equation generation stage. Seventeen-year-old students of secondary school from Madrid were taken as an accidental sample (N = 189). Certain characteristics of these statements were observed to be favourable instances to solve the problem. Possible implications for the instruction were analysed

Taller y Conferencia Regional sobre Aprendizaje Activo de la Física (AAMe; CRAAF-2)

El 2do. Taller Regional del Cono Sur sobre Aprendizaje Activo de la F&iacute;sica: Mec&aacute;nica (AAMe- C&oacute;rdoba 2009) se realiz&oacute; en las instalaciones del Hotel del Lago, en La Falda, C&oacute;rdoba, Argentina, entre el 1 el 5 de Junio de 2009. En concordancia con el Taller AAMe se realiz&oacute; el d&iacute;a 4 de Junio en las mismas instalaciones la 2da. Conferencia Regional del Cono Sur sobre Aprendizaje Activo de la F&iacute;sica (CRAAF-2). Participaron 51 representantes de Argentina, Venezuela, Brasil, Chile, Colombia y Paraguay, los cuales se desempe&ntilde;an como profesores de f&iacute;sica y contribuyen en sus regiones a la formaci&oacute;n de profesores de f&iacute;sica

Modelling in Physics: A matter of experience?

This study is focused on analyzing experimental results obtained due the use of different types of problem statements. It analyzes characteristics of problem-solving processes in subjects who have different levels of experience in solving physics problems. The problem-solving process is assumed as a process of modeling where different levels of representations are built. It is proposed a comprehension model for Physics problem-solving that assumes the existence of three levels of representation with different ontological elements and different levels of abstraction: A Situation Model (referential, non-abstract world representation of objects and events), a Conceptual-Physics Model (abstract, in terms of laws, principles and scientific concepts) and a Formalized-Physics Model (abstract, usually in mathematical language). The main goal of this work is to study how the problem-solving process depends on the experience the solver has in problems statements with particular characteristics. Two kinds of problems are used in the study. The difference between both statements is on the explicit or implicit presence of the Physics model that allows facing the problem and giving a solution. The results presented correspond to six interviews carried out with participants of different level of experience: 2 undergraduate physics students, 2 PhD physics students and 2 physics professors at university level. Subjects are audio and video-taped during a problem-solving interview. The records are transcribed and analyzed according to previously defined indicators. These indicators are used to determinate the number of actions and time spent in each stage of the problem-solving processes. The numerical parameters obtained are analyzed to study similarities and differences in the solving processes generated by the participants. Some findings are presented and discusse

Comisión de Enseñanza Secundaria y de Pregrado Informe 3

Tercera dimensión de análisis transversal: Pertinencia local/global (Pertinencia institucional).Fil: Carranza, Raquel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Franchi, Nicolás Orlando. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Gangoso, Zulma. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Guerra, Aldo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Guzmán, Claudia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Lombroni, Fernando. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Manzotti, Marcelo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Molina, Stella. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Soisa, Cecilia. Ministerio de Educación. Dirección General de Educación Secundaria; Argentina.Fil: Spadiliero De Lutri, Mirta. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.