UMaine PERL

Thompson Christensen Wittmann on graduate course in PER

2011-05-20T13:02:00.002-04:00

John R. Thompson, Warren M. Christensen, Michael C. Wittmann

Preparing future teachers to anticipate student difficulties in physics in a graduate-level course in physics, pedagogy, and education research

We describe courses designed to help future teachers reflect on and discuss both physics content and student knowledge thereof. We use three kinds of activities: reading and discussing the literature, experiencing research-based curricular materials, and learning to use the basic research methods of physics education research. We present a general overview of the two courses we have designed as well as a framework for assessing student performance on physics content knowledge and one aspect of pedagogical content knowledge—knowledge of student ideas—about one particular content area: electric circuits. We find that the quality of future teachers’ responses, especially on questions dealing with knowledge of student ideas, can be successfully categorized and may be higher for those with a nonphysics background than those with a physics background.

URL: http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.7.010108
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.7.010108
PACS: 01.40.J-

Casey MST: Interaction and MPEX analysis of group learning behaviors

2010-11-22T23:16:00.000-05:00

Casey Murphy

Answer-Seeking and Idea-Constructing During Collaborative Active-Learning Activities in a Physics Laboratory

Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, 2010

Smith, Thompson, and Mountcastle on the Boltzmann Factor

2010-10-24T23:07:00.001-04:00

Trevor I. Smith, John R. Thompson, and Donald B. Mountcastle

Addressing Student Difficulties with Statistical Mechanics: The Boltzmann Factor

AIP Conf. Proc. -- October 24, 2010 -- Volume 1289, pp. 305-308
2010 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; doi:10.1063/1.3515230

As part of research into student understanding of topics related to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics at the upper division, we have identified student difficulties in applying concepts related to the Boltzmann factor and the canonical partition function. With this in mind, we have developed a guided-inquiry worksheet activity (tutorial) designed to help students develop a better understanding of where the Boltzmann factor comes from and why it is useful. The tutorial guides students through the derivation of both the Boltzmann factor and the canonical partition function. Preliminary results suggest that students who participated in the tutorial had a higher success rate on assessment items than students who had only received lecture instruction on the topic. We present results that motivate the need for this tutorial, the outline of the derivation used, and results from implementations of the tutorial. ©2010 American Institute of Physics

Hawkins et al. on vector addition

2010-10-24T23:04:00.004-04:00

Jeffrey M. Hawkins, John R. Thompson, Michael C. Wittmann, Eleanor C. Sayre, and Brian W. Frank

Students' Responses To Different Representations Of A Vector Addition Question

AIP Conf. Proc. -- October 24, 2010 -- Volume 1289, pp. 165-168
2010 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; doi:10.1063/1.3515188

We investigate if the visual representation of vectors can affect which methods students use to add them. We gave students one of four questions with different graphical representations, asking students to add the same two vectors. For students in an algebra-based class the arrangement of the vectors had a statistically significant effect on the vector addition method chosen while the addition or removal of a grid did not. ©2010 American Institute of Physics

Springuel Ph.D.: Cluster analysis in kinematics and the FMCE

2010-10-05T23:14:00.000-04:00

R. Padraic Springuel

Applying Cluster Analysis to Physics Education Research Data

Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Maine, 2010

Black Ph.D.: Air resistance problems, resources, and epistemic games

2010-08-23T23:12:00.001-04:00

Katrina E. Black
Multiple Perspectives on Student Solution Methods for Air Resistance Problems
Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Maine, 2010

Frank on the stability of students' thinking

2010-08-19T14:59:00.001-04:00

Brian W. Frank

Multiple Conceptual Coherences in the Speed Tutorial: Micro-processes of Local Stability
Proceedings of the 9th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2010) - Volume 1, Full Papers, pp.873-881
Published on line at arXiv:1008.3258v1

Researchers working within knowledge-in-pieces traditions have often employed observational approaches to investigate micro-processes of learning. There is growing evidence from this line of work that students' intuitive thinking about physical phenomena is characterized more so by its diversity and flexibility than its uniformity and robustness. This characterization implies that much of the dynamics of students' thinking over short timescales involve processes that stabilize local patterns of thinking, later destabilize them, and allow other patterns to form. This kind of "change" may only involve dynamics by which the system of intuitive knowledge settles into various states without changing the system structure itself. I describe a case study in which a group of college students shift their thinking about motion several times during a collaborative learning activity. Instead of focusing on micro-processes of change, I describe these dynamics in terms of mechanisms that contribute to local stability of students' conceptual coherences.

Wittmann on conceptual blending in wave propagation

2010-08-02T15:37:00.001-04:00

Michael C. Wittmann
Using conceptual blending to describe emergent meaning in wave propagation
Proceedings of the 2010 International Conference on the Learning Sciences

Students in interviews on a wave physics topic give answers through embodied actions which connect their understanding of the physics to other common experiences. When answering a question about wavepulses propagating along a long taut spring, students' gestures help them recruit information about balls thrown the air. I analyze gestural, perceptual, and verbal information gathered using videotaped interviews and classroom interactions. I use conceptual blending to describe how different elements combine to create new, emergent meaning for the students and compare this to a knowledge-in-pieces approach.

Hayes and Wittmann on the use of signs

2010-04-01T21:38:00.001-04:00

K. Hayes and M. C. Wittmann
The Role of Sign in Students' Modeling of Scalar Equations
The Physics Teacher 48, 246 (2010)

Helping students set up equations is one of the major goals of teaching a course in physics that contains elements of problem solving. Students must take the stories we present, interpret them, and turn them into physics; from there, they must turn that physical, idealized story into mathematics. How they do so and what problems lie along the way are a major source of difficulty for us as instructors. In this paper, we consider just one such difficulty, getting the plus and minus signs correct when setting a net force equal to mass times acceleration. Even in such simple equations, we find that students make common errors in how they connect the mathematics and the physics. Specifically, we have seen college physics students use physical and mathematical reasoning inconsistently when determining signs of terms in equations. The problem seems to lie in how a vector equation gets interpreted into a scalar equation (whose form depends on one's choice of coordinate system).

Springuel Thompson Wittmann correcting a past paper

2009-11-09T21:45:00.000-05:00

R. Padraic Springuel, Michael C. Wittmann, and John R. Thompson
Erratum: Applying clustering to statistical analysis of student reasoning about two-dimensional kinematics [Phys Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 3, 020107 (2007)]

In our paper reported previously in this journal, we explored how cluster analysis, a method from data mining used to find natural groupings in data, could be used to categorize the responses given by students on a free-response question about acceleration in two dimensions. In the process of preparing to expand on that work, however, we discovered that our analysis was both incorrect and incomplete. We were incorrect in that we used default settings in our software package and thereby misidentified the distance measure used. We have since determined that this distance was not appropriate for our data coding. Furthermore, we were incomplete in that we were not sufficiently rigorous in our definition of groups of student responses. We have corrected both of these issues.

This is an erratum related to (and nearly longer than!) the paper found here.

Black and Wittmann on Resource Creation in Mechanics

2009-11-05T13:10:00.002-05:00

Katrina E. Black and Michael C. Wittmann
Procedural Resource Creation in Intermediate Mechanics
AIP Conf. Proc. -- November 5, 2009 -- Volume 1179, pp. 97-101
2009 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE

A problem in resource theory is describing the creation of new, high-level resources. We model resource creation by analyzing four student groups separating variables in a group quiz setting. The task was to solve an air resistance problem with uncommon initial conditions. We assess the fluency of each group and two observables: use of overt (such as divide, subtract, equals) and covert (such as moving, bringing, or pulling over) mathematical and use of accompanying gestures (such as circling, grabbing, or sliding). For each group, the type of language and gesture used corresponds to how easily they carry out separation of variables. We create resource graphs for each group to organize our observations and use these graphs to model the creation of the procedural resource Separate Variables.

Wittmann, Anderson, and Smith on teaching Newton's Second Law

2009-11-05T13:07:00.001-05:00

Michael C. Wittmann, Mindi Kvaal Anderson, and Trevor I. Smith
Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton's Second Law
AIP Conf. Proc. -- November 5, 2009 -- Volume 1179, pp. 301-304
2009 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; doi:10.1063/1.3266742

As a follow-up to a study comparing learning of Newton's Third Law when using three different forms of tutorial instruction, we have compared student learning of Newton's Second Law (NSL) when students use the Tutorials in Introductory Physics, Activity-Based Tutorials, or Open Source Tutorials. We split an algebra-based, life sciences physics course in 3 groups and measured students' pre- and post-instruction scores on the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE). We look at only the NSL-related clusters of questions on the FMCE to compare students' performance and normalized gains. Students entering the course are not significantly different, and students using the Tutorials in Introductory Physics show the largest normalized gains in answering question on the FMCE correctly. These gains are significant in only one cluster of questions, the Force Sled cluster.

Hawkins, Thompson, and Wittmann on persistence of methods used to add vectors

2009-11-05T13:04:00.001-05:00

Jeffrey M. Hawkins, John R. Thompson, and Michael C. Wittmann
Students Consistency of Graphical Vector Addition Method on 2-D Vector Addition Tasks
AIP Conf. Proc. -- November 5, 2009 -- Volume 1179, pp. 161-164
2009 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; doi:10.1063/1.3266704

In a series of ten two-dimensional graphical vector addition questions with varying visual representations, most students stuck to a single solution method, be it correct or incorrect. Changes to the visual representation include placing vectors on a grid, making the vectors arrangements symmetric, varying the separation between vectors, and reversing the direction of either vector. We discuss the questions asked of students and their responses, emphasizing the results of one student who did change solution methods during an interview. ©2009 American Institute of Physics

Smith, Christensen, Thompson on entropy, engines, and cycles

2009-11-05T02:04:00.000-05:00

Trevor I. Smith Warren M. Christensen and John R. Thompson
Addressing Student Difficulties with Concepts Related to Entropy, Heat Engines and the Carnot Cycle
AIP Conf. Proc. -- November 5, 2009 -- Volume 1179, pp. 277-280
2009 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; doi:10.1063/1.3266735

We report the rationale behind and preliminary results from a guided-inquiry conceptual worksheet (a.k.a. tutorial) dealing with Carnot's efficiency and the Carnot cycle. The tutorial was administered in an upper-level thermodynamics course at the University of Maine. The tutorial was implemented as the third in a three-tutorial sequence designed to improve students' understanding of entropy and its applications. Initial pre- and post-tutorial assessment data suggest that student understanding of heat engines and the Carnot cycle improved as a result of tutorial instruction

Hayes MST: Language, discourse, and problem solving

2009-08-31T00:00:00.001-04:00

Kate McCann Hayes
A qualititative analysis of student behavior and language during group problem solving
Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, August, 2009.

Anderson MST: Three ways of teaching Newton's Second Law

2009-08-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

Mindi Kvaal Anderson
Comparing the Effectiveness of Three Unique Research Based Tutorials for Introducing Newton’s Second Law
Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, August, 2009

O’Brien and Thompson on assessing Physics First in Maine

2009-04-01T00:00:00.005-04:00

Effectiveness of Ninth-Grade Physics in Maine: Conceptual Understanding

Phys. Teach. 47 (4), 234-239 (2009)

The Physics First movement—teaching a true physics course to ninth-grade students—is gaining popularity in high schools. There are several different rhetorical arguments for and against this movement, and it is quite controversial in physics education. However, there is no actual evidence to assess the success, or failure, of this substantial shift in the science teaching sequence. We have undertaken a comparison study of physics classes taught in ninth- and 12th-grade classes in Maine. Comparisons of student understanding and gains with respect to mechanics concepts were made with excerpts from well-known multiple-choice surveys and individual student interviews. Results indicate that both populations begin physics courses with similar content knowledge and specific difficulties, but when learning concepts, ninth-graders are more sensitive to the instructional method used.

Originally posted at arxiv.org, where a pre-print remains available.

Sayre Wittmann on resource plasticity and coordinate systems

2008-11-12T17:11:00.002-05:00

Eleanor C. Sayre, Michael C. Wittmann

Plasticity of intermediate mechanics students’ coordinate system choice
Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 4, 020105 (2008)

We investigate the interplay between mathematics and physics resources in intermediate mechanics students. In the mechanics course, the selection and application of coordinate systems is a consistent thread. At the University of Maine, students often start the course with a strong preference to use Cartesian coordinates, in accordance with their prior physics and mathematics classes. In small-group interviews and in homework help sessions, we ask students to define a coordinate system and set up the equations of motion for a simple pendulum for which polar coordinates are more appropriate. We analyze video data from several encounters using a combination of Process/Object theory and Resource Theory. We find that students sometimes persist in using an inappropriate Cartesian system. Furthermore, students often derive (rather than recall) the details of the polar coordinate system, indicating that their knowledge is far from solid. To describe our work more precisely, we define a scale of plasticity and several heuristics for defining resources and their plasticity.

Smith and Wittmann on a resources analysis of the FMCE

2008-09-10T20:18:00.002-04:00

Trevor I. Smith and Michael C. Wittmann

Applying a resources framework to analysis of the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation
Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 4, 020101 (2008) [12 pages]

We suggest one redefinition of common clusters of questions used to analyze student responses on the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation. Our goal is to propose a methodology that moves beyond an analysis of student learning defined by correct responses, either on the overall test or on clusters of questions defined solely by content. We use the resources framework theory of learning to define clusters within this experimental test that was designed without the resources framework in mind. We take special note of the contextual and representational dependence of questions with seemingly similar physics content. We analyze clusters in ways that allow the most common incorrect answers to give as much, or more, information as the correctness of responses in that cluster. We show that false positives can be found, especially on questions dealing with Newton’s third law. We apply our clustering to a small set of data to illustrate the value of comparing students’ incorrect responses which are otherwise identical on a correct or incorrect analysis. Our work provides a connection between theory and experiment in the area of survey design and the resources framework.

Originally posted at arxiv.org, where a pre-print remains available.

Nagpure MST: Vectors and 2-d acceleration

2008-08-31T00:00:00.002-04:00

Bhupendra Nagpure
The effects of reasoning about vector components on student understanding of two-dimensional acceleration
Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, August, 2008.

Van Deventer MST: Isomorphic math and physics vector representations

2008-08-31T00:00:00.001-04:00

Joel Van Deventer
Comparing student performance on isomorphic math and physics vector representations
Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, August, 2008.

Davenport MST: Reliability of the FMCE

2008-08-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

Glen Davenport
The reliability of the force and motion conceptual evaluation
Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, August, 2008.

Wittmann and Thompson on a grad course in PER

2008-07-01T17:00:00.000-04:00

M.C. Wittmann, J.R. Thompson

Integrated approaches in physics education: A graduate level course in physics, pedagogy, and education research
American Journal of Physics, Volume 76, Number 7 (July 2008), pp. 677-683.

We describe a course designed to help future educators develop an integrated understanding of different elements of physics education research (PER), including research into student learning, content knowledge from the perspective of how it is learned, and reform-based curricula, together with evidence of their effectiveness. Course elements include equal parts of physics study through proven curricula and discussion of research results in the context of the PER literature. We provide examples of the course content and structure and representative examples of student learning in the class. ©2008 American Association of Physics Teachers

Pre-print version on arxiv.org (not final version!)
Link leads to: arXiv:physics/0608240v1 [physics.ed-ph], and is a pre-print draft version of the paper. Link will be updated when the publication is complete. Original link from 7/24/2007.

Springuel, Thompson, and Wittmann on cluster analysis of vector representations

2007-12-03T17:00:00.000-05:00

Springuel, R.P., Thompson, J.R., and Wittmann, M.C.
Applying clustering to statistical analysis of student reasoning about two-dimensional kinematics

We use clustering, an analysis method not presently common to the physics education research community, to group and characterize student responses to written questions about two-dimensional kinematics. Previously, clustering has been used to analyze multiple-choice data; we analyze free-response data that includes both sketches of vectors and written elements. The primary goal of this paper is to describe the methodology itself; we include a brief overview of relevant results.

URL: http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRSTPER/v3/e020107
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.3.020107
PACS: 01.40.Fk, 01.40.gf

Smith and Wittmann on teaching Newton's Third Law

2007-10-18T16:18:00.001-04:00

Trevor I. Smith and Michael C. Wittmann
Comparing three methods for teaching Newton’s third law
Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 3, 020105 (2007)

Although guided-inquiry methods for teaching introductory physics have been individually shown to be more effective at improving conceptual understanding than traditional lecture-style instruction, researchers in physics education have not studied differences among reform-based curricula in much detail. Several researchers have developed University of Washington–style tutorial materials, but the different curricula have not been compared against each other. Our study examines three tutorials designed to improve student understanding of Newton’s third law: the University of Washington’s Tutorials in Introductory Physics (TIP), the University of Maryland’s Activity-Based Tutorials (ABT), and the Open Source Tutorials (OST) also developed at the University of Maryland. Each tutorial was designed with different goals and agendas, and each employs different methods to help students understand the physics. We analyzed pretest and post-test data, including course examinations and data from the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE). Using both FMCE and course data, we find that students using the OST version of the tutorial perform better than students using either of the other two.

Sayre Ph.D.: Resource justification and development

2007-08-31T18:00:00.001-04:00

Eleanor C. Sayre,
Plasticity: Resource Justification and Development
Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Maine, 2007

Pollock, Thompson, and Mountcastle on Variables in PV diagrams

2007-08-24T17:00:00.004-04:00

E.B. Pollock, J.R. Thompson, D.B. Mountcastle
Student Understanding of the Physics and Mathematics of Process Variables In P-V Diagrams
Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 2007

Students in an upper-level thermal physics course were asked to compare quantities related to the First Law of Thermodynamics along with similar mathematical questions devoid of all physical context. We report on a comparison of student responses to physics questions involving interpretation of ideal gas processes on P-V diagrams and to analogous mathematical qualitative questions about the signs of and comparisons between the magnitudes of various integrals. Student performance on individual questions combined with performance on the paired questions shows evidence of isolated understanding of physics and mathematics. Some difficulties are addressed by instruction.

©2007 American Institute of Physics

AIP Conf. Proc. -- November 12, 2007 -- Volume 951, pp. 168-171
2007 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; DOI:10.1063/1.2820924

Mountcastle, Bucy, Thompson on Probability and Uncertainty

2007-08-24T17:00:00.002-04:00

D.B. Mountcastle, B.R. Bucy, J.R. Thompson
Student Estimates of Probability and Uncertainty in Advanced Laboratory and Statistical Physics Courses
Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 2007

Equilibrium properties of macroscopic systems are highly predictable as n, the number of particles approaches and exceeds Avogadro's number; theories of statistical physics depend on these results. Typical pedagogical devices used in statistical physics textbooks to introduce entropy (S) and multiplicity () (where S = k ln()) include flipping coins and/or other equivalent binary events, repeated n times. Prior to instruction, our statistical mechanics students usually gave reasonable answers about the probabilities, but not the relative uncertainties, of the predicted outcomes of such events. However, they reliably predicted that the uncertainty in a measured continuous quantity (e.g., the amount of rainfall) does decrease as the number of measurements increases. Typical textbook presentations assume that students understand that the relative uncertainty of binary outcomes will similarly decrease as the number of events increases. This is at odds with our findings, even though most of our students had previously completed mathematics courses in statistics, as well as an advanced electronics laboratory course that included statistical analysis of distributions of dart scores as n increased.

©2007 American Institute of Physics

AIP Conf. Proc. -- November 12, 2007 -- Volume 951, pp. 152-155
2007 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; DOI:10.1063/1.2820919

Van Deventer and Wittmann on math and physics vectors

2007-08-24T17:00:00.001-04:00

J. Van Deventer and M.C. Wittmann
Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations
Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 2007.

Research has shown that students have difficulties with vectors in college introductory physics courses and high school physics courses; furthermore, students have been shown to perform worse on a vector task with a physical context when compared to the same task in a mathematical context. We have used these results to design isomorphic mathematics and physics free-response vector test questions to evaluate student understanding of vectors in both contexts. To validate our test, we carried out task-based interviews with introductory physics students. We used our results to develop a multiple-choice version of the vector test which was then administered to introductory physics students. We report on our test, giving examples of questions and preliminary findings.

©2007 American Institute of Physics

AIP Conf. Proc. -- November 12, 2007 -- Volume 951, pp. 208-211
2007 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; DOI:10.1063/1.2820935

Black and Wittmann on the epistemic games in integration

2007-08-24T17:00:00.000-04:00

K.E. Black and M.C. Wittmann
Epistemic Games in Integration: Modeling Resource Choice
Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 2007.

As part of an ongoing project to understand how mathematics is used in advanced physics to guide one's conceptual understanding of physics, we focus on students' interpretation and use of boundary and initial conditions when solving integrals. We discuss an interaction between two students working on a group quiz problem. After describing the interaction, we briefly discuss the procedural resources that we use to model the students' solutions. We then use the procedural resources introduced earlier to draw resources graphs describing the two epistemic game facets used by the students in our transcript. ©2007 American Institute of Physics

AIP Conf. Proc. -- November 12, 2007 -- Volume 951, pp. 53-56
2007 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; DOI:10.1063/1.2820945

Bucy PhD: Thermo, Entropy, and Partial Differentials

2007-08-24T13:18:00.001-04:00

Brandon R. Bucy
Investigations of Student Understanding of Entropy and of Mixed Second-Order Partial Derivatives in Upper-Level Thermodynamics
Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, August 2007

Reed MST: SET students' experiences

2007-07-31T18:00:00.000-04:00

Dan Reed
Evaluating Factors Contributing to Engineering Technology Students’ Introductory Physics Experience
Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, August, 2007.

Smith MST: comparing reform implementations

2007-05-31T18:00:00.002-04:00

Trevor I. Smith
Comparing the Effectiveness of Research-Based Curricula for Teaching Introductory Mechanics
Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, May, 2007.

Moyer MST: Understanding of stem cells

2007-05-20T08:23:00.000-04:00

Jon Moyer
A comparative study of how high school students understand stem cells
Unpublished M.S.T. thesis, May 2007

Bucy, Thompson, Mountcastle on Partial Differentiation

2007-05-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

B.R. Bucy, J.R. Thompson, D.B. Mountcastle
Student (Mis)application of Partial Differentiation to Material Properties
2006 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, edited by P. Heron, L. McCullough, and J. Marx, AIP Conference Proceedings 883, 157-160 (2007)

Sayre, Wittmann, and Donovan on resource plasticity

2007-05-01T17:00:00.000-04:00

E.C. Sayre, M.C. Wittmann, and J.E. Donovan
Resource Plasticity: Detailing a Common Chain of Reasoning with Damped Harmonic Motion
in P. Heron, L. McCullough, J. Marx (Eds.) Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 2006, AIP Conference Proceedings 883, 85 (2007).

Feeley - MST on thinking about gravitational forces

2007-04-26T17:00:00.000-04:00

Roger E. Feeley

Identifying student concepts of gravity

Master of Science in Teaching
Thesis, unpublished

Abstract:
This paper discusses a survey developed to investigate student concepts of "gravity" among AST 109 astronomy students and pre-service K-12 teachers. Survey questions were developed or modified from those in the literature [Berg 1991, Dostal 2005]. Students were questioned on their reasoning about the behavior of objects on the surface of a planetary body (e.g., the Earth or the moon) and the causes of this behavior. Results of the survey successfully elicited student alternate conceptions with various aspects of gravity. These misconceptions include the tendency to attribute gravity to the presence of an atmosphere, and the belief that a threshold amount of gravity, mass, or weight is necessary for free-fall to occur.

Sayre and Wittmann on coordinate systems

2007-04-02T17:00:00.000-04:00

Sayre, E.C. and Wittmann, M.C. (2007)
Intermediate Mechanics Students’ Coordinate System Choice
Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education 2007. Published online, only. Full conference proceedings available here.

Traxler, Black, and Thompson, PERC Proceedings 2007

2007-01-30T10:53:00.000-05:00

Adrienne L. Traxler, Katrina E. Black, and John R. Thompson

Students' Use of Symmetry with Gauss's Law

To study introductory student difficulties with electrostatics, we compared student techniques when finding the electric field for spherically symmetric and non-spherically symmetric charged conductors. We used short interviews to design a free-response and multiple-choice-multiple-response survey that was administered to students in introductory calculus-based courses. We present the survey results and discuss them in light of Singh's results for Gauss's Law, Collins and Ferguson's epistemic forms and games, and Tuminaro's extension of games and frames.

AIP Conf. Proc. -- January 30, 2007 -- Volume 883, pp. 173-176
2006 PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONFERENCE; DOI:10.1063/1.2508720

Pratt MST: Zebrafish teratogenesis and an inquiry curriculum

2006-12-20T08:26:00.000-05:00

Jon Pratt
Zebrafish teratogenesis as a secondary-level science inquiry curriculum
Unpublished M.S.T. thesis, December 2006

Wittmann on resource graphs

2006-08-29T18:00:00.001-04:00

M.C. Wittmann
Using resource graphs to represent conceptual change
Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 2, 020105 (2006)

Nelson MST: Concentrated workshop on force and motion

2006-08-20T08:21:00.000-04:00

David Nelson
"Effect of a Concentrated In-Service Elementary Teacher Force and Motion Workshop"
Unpublished M.S.T. thesis, August, 2006

Wittmann, Morgan, Feeley on probability in quantum

2006-08-02T18:00:00.000-04:00

M.C. Wittmann, J.T. Morgan, R.F. Feeley
Laboratory-tutorial activities for teaching probability
Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 2, 020104 (2006)

Wittmann on tutorials for teaching QM tunneling

2006-06-01T17:00:00.000-04:00

M.C. Wittmann
Lab-Tutorials für den Quantenphysik Unterricht
Praxis der Naturwissenschaften – Physik, 55:4, 16-21.

Note that this paper is in German and that the arxiv.org publication contains only an English language abstract. The arxiv.org version is in much weaker German than the edited final version published in Praxis der Naturwissenschaften - Physik.

Morgan PhD: Quantum Tunneling

2006-05-31T18:00:00.000-04:00

Jeffrey T. Morgan
Investigating How Students Think About and Learn Quantum Physics: An Example From Tunneling
Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Maine, 2006

O'Brien MST: Physics First in Maine

2006-05-20T08:56:00.000-04:00

Michael O'Brien
An investigation into the effectiveness of Physics First in Maine
Unpublished MST thesis, May 2006

Traxler MST: Teaching Time in Intro Astro

2006-05-20T08:53:00.000-04:00

Adrienne Traxler
"Assessment and Modification of an Introductory Astronomy Laboratory Lesson on Astronomical Time-Keeping"
Unpublished MST thesis, May 2006

Bucy, Thompson, Mountcastle on Entropy

2006-05-01T18:00:00.001-04:00

B.R. Bucy, J.R. Thompson, D.B. Mountcastle
What is Entropy? Advanced Undergraduate Performance Comparing Ideal Gas Processes
2005 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, edited by P. Heron, L. McCullough, and J. Marx, AIP Conference Proceedings 818, 77-80 (2006)

Thompson, Bucy, and Mountcastle on partial derivatives in thermo

2006-05-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

J.R. Thompson, B.R. Bucy, D.B. Mountcastle
Assessing Student Understanding of Partial Derivatives in Thermodynamics
2005 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, edited by P. Heron, L. McCullough, and J. Marx, AIP Conference Proceedings 818, 77-80 (2006)

Morgan and Wittmann on Quantum Tunneling

2006-05-01T17:00:00.000-04:00

J.T. Morgan and M.C. Wittmann
Examining the Evolution of Student Ideas About Quantum Tunneling
in P. Heron, L. McCullough, J. Marx (Eds.) Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 2005, AIP Conference Proceedings 818, 73-76 (2006).

Wittmann, Morgan, and Bao on energy loss in tunneling

2005-11-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

M.C. Wittmann, J.T. Morgan, and L. Bao
Addressing student models of energy loss in quantum tunneling
European Journal of Physics 26, 939–950 (2005)

Sayre MST: Resource activation

2005-08-31T18:00:00.001-04:00

E.C. Sayre
Advanced Students' Resource Selection in Nearly-Novel Situations
Unpublished M.S.T. thesis, University of Maine, 2005

Menchen MST: Sound propagation and resonance

2005-08-31T18:00:00.000-04:00

K. VP. Menchen
Investigations of Student Understanding of Sound Propagation and Resonance
Unpublished M.S.T. thesis, University of Maine, 2005

Odell MST: Conservation of Mass/Energy

2005-08-20T08:25:00.000-04:00

Jess Odell
Student Understanding of Conservation of Mass/Energy in Introductory University Science Courses
Unpublished M.S.T. thesis, August 2005

Kanim and Thompson on magnetic field viewing cards

2005-06-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

S. Kanim, J.R. Thompson
Magnetic Field Viewing Cards
The Physics Teacher, 43:6, 355–359 (2005)

Murphy MST: Effects of mathematics instruction

2005-05-31T18:00:00.000-04:00

Michael A. Murphy,
Measuring the Effects of Mathematics Instruction in a Physics Classroom with Mathematics and Physics Diagnostics
Unpublished M.S.T. thesis, University of Maine, 2005

Redish and Wittmann on PER

2005-05-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

E.F.Redish, and M.C. Wittmann,
Twenty Questions for PER
Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, 2004, edited by J. Marx, S. Franklin, and P. Heron, AIP Conference Proceedings (2005)

Owen, Norton, Maash, and Wittmann on an Earth Science course for teachers

2004-09-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

J.C.Owen, S.A.Norton, K. Maash, and M.C. Wittmann
Design, Implementation, and Assessment of an Earth Systems Science Course for Secondary Teachers
Journal of Geoscience Education, 52:4 (2004)

Menchen and Thompson on sound propagation and resonance

2004-05-01T18:00:00.003-04:00

K. VP. Menchen and J.R. Thompson
Pre-service teacher understanding of propagation and resonance in sound phenomena
2003 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, in S. Franklin, K. Cummings, J. Marx (Eds.) AIP Conference Proceedings 720, 65-68 (2004)

Morgan, Wittmann, and Thompson on quantum tunneling

2004-05-01T18:00:00.002-04:00

J.T. Morgan, M.C. Wittmann, and J.R. Thompson
Student Understanding of Tunneling in Quantum Mechanics: Examining Survey Results
2003 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, in S. Franklin, K. Cummings, J. Marx (Eds.) AIP Conference Proceedings 720, 97-100 (2004).

Wittmann and Morgan on quantum tunneling

2004-05-01T18:00:00.001-04:00

M.C. Wittmann, J.T. Morgan
Understanding Data Analysis from Multiple Viewpoints: An Example from Quantum Tunneling
2003 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, in S. Franklin, K. Cummings, J. Marx (Eds.) AIP Conference Proceedings 720, 3-6 (2004).

Sayre, Wittmann, and Thompson on nearly novel situations

2004-05-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

E.C. Sayre, M.C. Wittmann, and J.R. Thompson
Resource Selection in Nearly-Novel Situations
2003 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, in S. Franklin, K. Cummings, J. Marx (Eds.) AIP Conference Proceedings 720, 101-104 (2004).

Wittmann, Redish, and Steinberg on sound and curriculum development

2003-08-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

M.C. Wittmann, E.F. Redish, and R.N. Steinberg
Understanding and Addressing Student Reasoning about Sound
International Journal of Science Education 25:8, 991-1013 (2003)

Wittmann on sets of resources in tunneling

2003-07-31T18:00:00.000-04:00

M.C. Wittmann
Understanding Coordinated Sets of Resources: An Example from Quantum Tunneling
Unpublished. Written for the Proceedings of the Fermi School in Physics Education Research, Varenna, Italy, 2003 July. (white paper, web posting only)

Scherr and Wittmann on the challenge of listening

2003-05-01T18:00:00.002-04:00

R.E. Scherr and M.C. Wittmann
The challenge of listening: The effect of research agenda on data collection and interpretation
2002 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, S. Franklin, K. Cummings, J. Marx (Eds.) (2003)

Wittmann on limitations of standardized tests

2003-05-01T18:00:00.001-04:00

M.C. Wittmann
Limitations in predicting student performance on standardized tests
In S. Franklin, K. Cummings, J. Marx (Eds.) Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 2002.(2003)

Wittmann and Scherr on epistemology affecting methodology

2003-05-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

M.C. Wittmann and R.E. Scherr
Student epistemological stance constraining researcher access to student thinking: An example from an interview on charge flow
In S. Franklin, K. Cummings, J. Marx (Eds.) Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 2002.(2003)

Wittmann on RealTime Physics dissemination

2002-04-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

M.C. Wittmann
On the dissemination of a proven curriculum: RealTime Physics and Interactive Lecture Demonstrations
White paper web publication of FIPSE external evaluator report for the RTP/ILD dissemination project

Wittmann, Steinberg, Redish on quantum and conductivity

2002-03-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

M.C. Wittmann, R.N. Steinberg, and E.F. Redish
Investigating Student Understanding of Quantum Mechanics: Spontaneous Models of Conductivity
American Journal of Physics, 70:3, 218-226 (2002)

Wittmann on the object coordination classes

2002-01-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

M.C. Wittmann
The Object Coordiantion Class Applied to Wavepulses: Analysing Student Reasonging in Wave Phyiscs
International Journal of Science Education, 24:1, 97-118 (2002)

Wittmann on conductivity

2001-03-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

M.C. Wittmann
Investigating Student Understanding of Quantum Physics: Models of Conductivity
Newsletter of the American Society of Black Physicists, special issue on physics education research, March (2001).

Prather and Harrington on Radioactivity

2001-01-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

E.E. Prather and R.R. Harrington
Student Understanding of Ionizing Radiation and Radioactivity: Recognizing the Differences Between Irradiation and Contamination
Journal of College Science Teaching, 31:2, 89-93 (2001)

Wittmann PhD: Understanding Mechanical Waves

1999-11-09T17:00:00.000-05:00

M.C. Wittmann
Making Sense of How Students Come to an Understanding of Physics: An Example from Mechanical Waves
Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Maryland, 1998

Steinberg, Wittmann, Bao, Redish on quantum physics

1999-03-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

R.N. Steinberg, M.C. Wittmann, Lei Bao, and E.F. Redish
The influence of student understanding of classical physics when learning quantum mechanics
Research on the Teaching and Learning of Quantum Sciences, NARST Annual Meeting, Boston (March, 1999)

Wittmann, Steinberg, Redish on mechanical waves

1999-01-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

M.C. Wittmann, R.N. Steinberg, E.F. Redish
Making Sense of How Students Make Sense of Mechanical Waves
The Physics Teacher 37, 15-21 (1999)

Harrington on teaching standards

1997-04-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

R.R. Harrington
New Standards for Teaching Middle School Science: Now That We Have Them, What Do We Do?
Journal of Research in Rural Education, 13:1, 37-46 (Spring 1997).

Steinberg, Wittmann, Redish - mathematical tutorials

1997-01-01T17:01:00.000-05:00

R.N. Steinberg, M.C. Wittmann, E.F. Redish,
Mathematical Tutorials In Introductory Physics
Sample class, in The Changing Role Of Physics Departments In Modern University, AIP Conference Proceedings 399 (AIP, 1997) 1075-1092.

Harrington and Prather on Descriptive Physics

1997-01-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

R.R. Harrington and E.E. Prather
Using an Introductory Physics Course to Train Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers
Contributed Poster, in The Changing Role Of Physics Departments In Modern University, AIP Conference Proceedings 399 (AIP, 1997) 797-799.

Mechanical Waves lit review

1996-05-22T18:00:00.000-04:00

M.C. Wittmann
Student Difficulties in Understanding Mechanical Waves: An Overview of Research Results
White paper written for the University of Maryland, College Park Physics Education Research Group, (22 May 1996).