Lodge-Scharff on mental models in mathematics and physics

Savannah E. Lodge-Scharff

Investigating Student Mental Models at the Intersection of Mathematics and Physical Reasoning in Physics

Thesis for the Master's of Science in Teaching (MST)

A significant challenge in learning science and mathematics is coordinating different types of mental models, such as mathematical and physical mental models, that represent different aspects of a given phenomenon. This challenge is illustrated in the present study, in which we observed a small number of college students reasoning about forces as both physical and mathematical quantities as they reasoned about a physical system. Using video analysis of the students’ gesture and as they reasoned qualitatively and mathematically about the system, we documented the construction and coordination of participants’ mental models. We found that participants constructed mathematical mental models as imagined lines uniquely to physical mental models as imagined pulls. Moreover, students rarely exhibited the coordination of these two mental models. These findings suggest that instructors that they cannot assume that students generate models, even circumstances designed to support them.

Recommended Citation
Lodge-Scharff, Savannah E., "Investigating Student Mental Models at the Intersection of Mathematics and Physical Reasoning in Physics" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2718.
http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/2718

Ferm MST on following and using inferential reasoning chains

William N. Ferm (Billy)

Examining Student Ability to Follow and Interact with Qualitative Inferential Reasoning Chains

Thesis for Master's of Science in Teaching (MST)


The effectiveness of scaffolded, research-based instruction in physics has been extensively documented in the literature. However, even after such instruction, students who demonstrate a solid conceptual understanding on one physics task may subsequently perform poorly on another, closely related task requiring the application of that same conceptual understanding. Research on such inconsistencies has suggested that poor performance may primarily be attributed to difficulties related to reasoning rather than those of a conceptual nature. To gain insight into this phenomenon, further work is required, specifically focusing on the design and testing of tasks that may be used to document the extent to which students are able to follow, replicate, evaluate, and generate coherent chains of qualitative inferential reasoning before, during, and after scaffolded, research-based instruction.

In response to this need, we have designed and implemented tasks to assess the extent to which introductory physics students are able to logically follow and interact with the reasoning chains of hypothetical students in a variety of physics contexts. In this thesis, we describe several of these tasks, including a “Follow Reasoning” task in which students are asked to infer the conclusions that would be drawn from different lines of reasoning articulated by hypothetical students and to provide justification for those inferences. We also share work from an experiment in which students were first prompted to answer a physics question before completing a “Follow Reasoning” task, which itself contained reasoning associated with the same physics question (leading to either the correct or an incorrect answer). Finally, we describe the construction, implementation, and analysis of a pair of isomorphic “Follow Reasoning” tasks in which the same lines of reasoning are articulated by hypothetical students but the physics context in which the reasoning is presented is different.

Results show that the majority of students were able to predict the logical concluding statement when provided with a hypothetical student reasoning chain (HSRC), suggesting that they were in fact capable of following the reasoning of others. Several overall trends were identified, and they provided insight into how students interact with HSRCs. In addition, we found that students who demonstrated requisite conceptual understanding were better able to follow correct reasoning leading to the correct answer but showed no such enhancement when considering incorrect reasoning leading to a common incorrect answer. Finally, data collected from isomorphic “Follow Reasoning” tasks suggest that student ability to follow particular lines of reasoning may, in fact, be independent of physics context and content. Key findings from this work have numerous important implications for instruction.

Recommended Citation
Ferm, William N. Jr., "Examining Student Ability to Follow and Interact with Qualitative Inferential Reasoning Chains" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2662.
http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/2662

Kranich MST on teacher knowledge of accelerated motion

Gregory D. Kranich

Inconsistent Conceptions of Acceleration Contributing to Formative Assessment Limitations

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become a national priority in light of measures indicating marginal student interest and success in the United States. Just as evidence is integral to policy decisions, so too do teachers depend on evidence to inform instructional choices. Classroom assessment remains a touchstone means of gathering such evidence as indicators of students’ progress, and increasingly, teachers are designing, implementing, and interpreting assessments in collaboration with one another.

In rural Maine, the work of the Maine Physical Sciences Partnership (MainePSP) has enabled science educators to come together as a supportive professional community. We focused on a team of MainePSP teachers as they developed common assessments for a unit on force and motion concepts. During group discussions individual members vetted their own ideas about acceleration comprising the following perspectives: a) terminology used to describe acceleration, b) the sign of acceleration as an indicator of speeding up or slowing down, and c) the sign of acceleration as an indicator of direction, dependent on the change in both the magnitude and direction of velocity. The latter two ideas could be in agreement (when motion is in the positive direction) or conflict (when motion is in the negative direction). With objectives to accomplish and limited time, the team opted to only include an item about motion in the positive direction, leaving the inconsistencies of their ideas unresolved. As a result, the assessment lacked the ability to provide sufficient evidence of which idea students might hold.

We examined the group’s interactions as captured by video recording and employed basic qualitative methods to analyze the event as a case study. Our findings suggest that an incomplete understanding of acceleration limited the teachers’ ability to resolve their initial conflict. Further, the item’s susceptibility for students to provide correct answers for the wrong reasons was not recognized at the time. We consider the item’s implications on teachers interpreting student assessment responses, masking a potential need for adjusted instruction by teachers and conceptual refinement by students. Finally, we discuss the pedagogical implications and limitations of this study.

Kranich, Gregory D., "Inconsistent Conceptions of Acceleration Contributing to Formative Assessment Limitations" (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2438.

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/2438 - note that you will need to create a Digital Commons account (for free) to download a copy.

Laverty MST on teacher knowledge

Dan Laverty
Investigating Teachers' Content Knowledge and Pedogogical Content Knowledge in a Middle School Physical Science Curriculum on Force and Motion

Teaching is a profession that requires the incorporation of many types of knowledge in order to create effective instructional experiences that promote student learning. Teachers need to blend their knowledge of the content with the methods for delivering that content and an understanding of their students' thinking. With increasing concern in the United States over student achievement in science and mathematics, there is ongoing discussion about which elements of teacher knowledge most directly correlate with effective instruction. How do specific strands of teacher knowledge blend to influence student learning outcomes? This study explores the roles of teacher content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), particularly teacher knowledge of student ideas (KSI), in the context of a middle-school physical science curriculum on force and motion. The study takes place within the Maine Physical Sciences Partnership (MainePSP). The primary focus of the MainePSP is the professional development of physical science instructors in grades 6-9 via curriculum renewal using common instructional resources across multiple school districts in rural Maine.

Teachers and their students were given multiple-choice assessment items to examine teachers’ CK as well as the learning gains of their students. To measure teacher KSI, teachers were additionally asked to predict if a significant portion of their students [>10%) would select a multiple-choice option on a certain assessment item and to articulate student reasoning for selecting that choice. For both the CK and the KSI surveys, teacher performance varied widely, between 10% and 90% of the maximum score on each survey represented, with little to no correlation between CK and KSI scores. Overall results from the student assessment indicate that students come into the curriculum with incorrect ideas about force and motion, but are on par with comparable populations seen in the literature. Furthermore, there was little shift in student understanding of force and motion concepts after instruction of the curriculum. Additionally, teacher CK and KSI were not strong predictors of student performance when related to the narrow learning gains observed. We discuss possible factors to which this lack of correlation may be attributed, including the implementation process and elements of the curriculum itself, and also the resolution of the KSI instrument. Recommendations for future research are provided.

Recommended Citation
Laverty, Daniel Patrick, "Investigating Teachers' Content Knowledge and Pedogogical Content Knowledge in a Middle School Physical Science Curriculum on Force and Motion" (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2410.
http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/2410

Levi Lucy MST on energy knowledge of students and teachers

Levi Lucy

Correlations Between Students Performance on Assessments and Teachers’ Knowledge of Students and Energy

Research in energy education is important due to increased attention to energy in recent standards. Within education research, looking at the different knowledge teachers have and use while teaching is also a growing area. This study was a pilot study in looking at whether and if so, how, the different knowledge teachers have and use correlates with student performance, in an effort to help focus professional development and pre-service teacher programs. A single survey was used to measure two different types of teacher knowledge: knowledge of common content, and knowledge of content and students, as well as student performance. The results show that where correlations between teachers knowledge and student performance could exist, they did. Students of teachers who gave more detailed responses in a free response question performed better after instruction, than those that were not. Additionally, students of teachers who were able to predict and explain student misconceptions on the same questions used on the student performance assessment, performed better after instruction. Modifications to the teacher assessment are needed tools to investigate teachers’ knowledge of energy more deeply, and to engage teachers more in the assessment tasks.

Recommended Citation

Lucy, Levi, "Correlations Between Students Performance on Assessments and Teachers' Knowledge of Students and Energy" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2010.

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/2010

Evan Chase MST on gestures regarding accelerated motion

Evan Chase

Investigating Physics Students’ Simultaneous Use of Gestures and Speech to Describe Multiple Quantities of a Vertically-Tossed Ball

In physics education research, we are often concerned with understanding students’ ideas. For these purposes, teachers often assess student knowledge on the basis of summative assessment: exams, quizzes, and lab reports, etc. Teachers and researchers also attend to conversation, where people typically produce hand gestures that can communicate additional information to the listener. Due to this, it is important to be able to understand what gestures may mean, so that any information within them can be accessed. If there is valuable information about student knowledge available in a gesture, then this information can easily be missed if exclusively written methods of assessment and research are used. Teachers and researchers could benefit from the ability to decipher and utilize a student’s gestures to better understand the student’s level of comprehension.

To study how physics students use gestures in addition to their speech to explain a ball being tossed into the air, individual interviews were conducted with physics majors who had completed half of an eight-semester physics program at the University of Maine. These interviews conformed to the standards set by current qualitative education research. Students were asked to discuss kinematic quantities and forces associated with the motion of a ball thrown straight up, both with and without the force of air resistance. The video episodes selected for detailed analysis contained moments of students gesturing and speaking simultaneously, such that the referents of the speech and gesture did not appear to match. A more explicit methodology than that found in the current literature on gesture research in physics is defined. This methodology is used to show that these physics students were able to portray information about kinematics and force quantities simultaneously with gestures and speech, and in some cases were able to describe changes in one quantity with a hand and another quantity with the fingers on the same hand.

Casey Murphy MST: Interaction and MPEX analysis of group learning behaviors

Casey Murphy
Answer-Seeking and Idea-Constructing During Collaborative Active-Learning Activities in a Physics Laboratory
Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, 2010

Students’ understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge and their sense of self-efficacy in the construction of scientific ideas impacts their approach to learning in a physics laboratory (Hammer, 1995). This research uses video analysis to explore two polar examples of group epistemological approach within the same laboratory. One group seemed to approach the activities with the goal of answer-seeking, often at the expense of meaningful learning, while the other group seemed to actively engage in idea- construction as they worked through the instructional sequence. Using methods of Interaction Analysis (Jordan & Henderson, 1995), I describe very different behavioral patterns for each group across three spheres of interaction - student interactions with group members, student interactions with space and time, and student interaction with authority. These results suggest that it is possible to assess students’ approaches to a laboratory by being attentive to what students say and do as they interact with group members, with the space around them and with authority. The emergent patterns could provide the basis of a teacher toolbox for gauging, whether or not student approach is matched to the intended epistemological goals of the course.

In addition to looking at the details of behavior in the classroom, I explored shifts in epistemological approach to physics learning from the beginning of the course to the end of the course with the Maryland Physics Expectation Survey (MPEX2) (McCaskey, 2009). Consistent with previous semesters, whole course results indicated no shift towards favorability in personal or epistemological independence between pre- and post- tests. I also analyzed student survey responses at the beginning of the semester for the entire class, and, more importantly, for the Answer-Seeking Group and the Idea- Constructing Group. I observed a mismatch between behavior observed in class and student response on the MPEX2 questions measuring the extent students see knowledge as constructed or absorbed (independence-epistemology). On the other hand, I observed a match between group behaviors and the questions probing self-efficacy in knowledge construction. These results challenge earlier studies indicating low validity for MPEX2 use as an individual or small-N diagnostic (McCaskey, 2009) and also confirm analysis of the MPEX2 Independence cluster at the sub-category level of independence–personal and independence-epistemology.

Hayes MST: Language, discourse, and problem solving

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

In guided-inquiry group problem solving, students experience shifts in understanding: potential "a-ha" moments where ideas fall into place and things suddenly make sense. To characterize students’ behavior, activities and language as they interact, we use video and transcript of students working in an Intermediate Mechanics class. Key elements of discourse, such as the words “just” or “anyway,” or false starts, indicate speakers' expectations about an activity so we identify these elements and track the frequency with which they appear in student discourse, both in total quantity and relative frequency. We use changes in both language and behavior to identify areas of struggle in problem solving followed by a shift in student understanding and expectations. Our methodology can capture very different resolutions in problem solving; in the three areas selected, we find that students come to a genuine resolution following struggle or knowingly accept an insufficient answer.

Recommended Citation

Hayes, Kate, "A Qualitative Analysis of Student Behavior and Language During Group Problem Solving" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1225.

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/1225

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

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

Recent research has shown that guided inquiry tutorials can be effective supplements to traditional methods of teaching. This study examines the learning outcomes of three different tutorials about Newton’s Second Law (NSL): the University of Maryland’s Activity Based Tutorial, the University of Maryland’s Open Source Tutorial and the University of Washington’s Tutorial in Introductory Physics. Specifically, to what extent does a single hour of tutorial impact student learning of NSL? The force and motion conceptual evaluation (FMCE), a multiple-choice assessment instrument, is used to evaluate gains in conceptual understanding in the areas of one dimensional motion and kinematics in introductory physics courses. FMCE pretest and post-test data were collected for each of the three guided inquiry tutorial groups. The data was analyzed by separating the exam into clusters using a template created by Michael Wittmann and later updated by Trevor Smith. Gains for each tutorial group on the NSL portions of the FMCE were compared for students in a first semester algebra-based physics course. Although significant gains were not recorded in overall scores for any particular tutorial group over the others, analysis of the FMCE showed definite improvement areas by tutorial groups for certain curricula.

Recommended Citation

Anderson, Mindi Kvaal, "Comparing the Effectiveness of Three Unique Research Based Tutorials for Introducing Newton's Second Law" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1223.

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/1223

Nagpure MST: Vectors and 2-d acceleration

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

Concepts of motion form the very basis of Newtonian physics and are very important for a sound understanding of more complex physics. In an attempt to explore how students think about kinematical concepts, we have investigated student understanding of acceleration in two-dimensional motion. Our research builds on prior work identifying student difficulties with two-dimensional motion. We focus our investigation on comparing the effectiveness of different instructional strategies at improving student understanding of 2-D acceleration, and the effect of these strategies on student reasoning in particular.

Tutorials in Introductory Physics (TIP), a set of small-group, guided-inquiry curricular materials, have demonstrated improved student conceptual understanding of many physics concepts, including kinematical concepts such as acceleration. One of the tutorials in TIP, Motion in two dimensions, deals explicitly with the concepts of velocity and acceleration during motion on a curved trajectory. In this tutorial, students are guided to think about the "operational definition" of acceleration, which requires subtraction of velocity vectors, a documented difficulty for introductory students. A modified version of TIP materials was developed, which emphasizes the use of "entailed knowledge" of vector components (in the direction of motion and perpendicular to the direction of motion) and the effect on the velocity of each of these acceleration components.

Through free-response surveys and interviews, we categorized the primary reasoning paths that students use to think about two-dimensional acceleration before and after going through the two different tutorials. In addition to recognizing specific, well- documented student difficulties, we compared overall student performance as well as the types of reasoning that are used for both correct and incorrect responses on the tasks administered.

Student performance increases significantly after instruction with either tutorial; furthermore, the modified tutorial produces higher post-test performance than the original tutorial. The prevalence of student reasoning using components is higher on post-tests than on pretests, after instruction with either tutorial. Moreover, the prevalence of component reasoning is higher after the modified instruction than after the original tutorial. Thus, students using component reasoning tend to be correct as well as consistent, implying that their conceptual understanding of acceleration is not only correct but also concrete.

Van Deventer MST: Isomorphic math and physics vector representations

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

We designed isomorphic mathematics and physics free-response vector quizzes to evaluate student understanding of vectors in both contexts. Questions are identical, with only the context of the question changing in each case. To validate our test, we carried out task-based interviews with introductory physics students completing a semester’s instruction. We used our results from the interviews to develop a multiple-choice version of the vector quizzes which was then administered to introductory physics students before and after instruction. Overall, student performance on these isomorphic vector tasks is similar before instruction, different after an initial lecture on vectors in a math context, and different after a semester of instruction in our introductory mechanics course. In general student performance on the math vector tasks, after an initial lecture on vectors in an abstract context, seems to be indicative of performance on the physics vector tasks after a semester of instruction. No general trends were found relating to either the context dependence of the student performance or the responses distributions between individual math and physics isomorphic tasks. We find many students inconsistently apply vector manipulation tools and incompletely apply procedures across different vector tasks and contexts.

Recommended Citation

Deventer, Joel Van, "Comparing Student Performance on Isomorphic Math and Physics Vector Representations" (2008). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1348.

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/1348

Davenport MST: Reliability of the FMCE

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

In this document we describe the results of a series of test-retest studies using the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation, a pre/post-test instrument used to measure conceptual understanding and learning gains in introductory physics courses. The subjects took the FMCE once and then again four weeks later, with no formal physics instruction in between. We found the group statistics to be very reliable, indicating that the FMCE is a stable measure of ability level for groups of students. However, the results of individual students reveal high levels of inconsistency. Introductory students tend to answer only 60% of questions the same way at two different testing sessions. After instruction, the subjects still only answered with about 60% consistency, but had higher average scores. We look to conceptual change research for an explanation of why post-instruction students get more questions correct, but maintain the same level of inconsistency.

Recommended Citation

Davenport, Glen, "The Reliability of the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation" (2008). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1342.

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/1342

Reed MST: SET students' experiences

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

The UMaine’s introductory algebra-based physics course PHY 107 is dedicated to students from the School of Engineering Technology (SET). These SET students come from a wide range of backgrounds and are studying a hybrid of curricula for an engineer and a technician with a leaning toward engineering. In order to appropriately serve this population we must attempt to understand who these students are.

One of the legends surrounding this group is that their struggles with physics stem from having a lower level of mathematics ability than the typical introductory physics student. Through the use of a math diagnostic, the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE), an updated version of the Maryland Physics Expectations (MPEX2) survey, and a myriad of student, instructor, and SET Coordinator interviews, I sought to develop a data supported view of the PHY 107 students. In this process, I address current course objectives; the extent students develop toward those objectives; and find which factors correlate with physics conceptual development.

I found that despite SET’s professional concerns, they care most about developing their students’ abilities to make sense of physical and verbal representations of a situation and translate that understanding into meaningful mathematical models. The measure of conceptual development tells the extent to which PHY 107 has developed these skills necessary to build a mathematical model. PHY 107 students only improved !12% of their potential for conceptual development as measured by the FMCE.

Mathematic skill failed to contribute to the PHY 107 students’ conceptual gain , though they do represent the bottom quartile of a typical algebra-based introductory physics course. Of all factors considered in this study, pre- and post-instruction favorable attitudes as measured by MPEX2 coherence and concept cluster scores best-predicted student conceptual development.

Smith MST: comparing reform implementations

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

This study examines the effects of implementing various research-based forms of cur- ricula for teaching introductory physics course at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL and the University of Maine in Orono, ME. Introductory courses at each of these institutions were modified at each of these institutions over the course of several years. For each course, baseline data were collected during a year in which at least one form of research-based curricula was used. In subsequent years, other research-based curricula were implemented in addition to the baseline treatment at the University of Maine and in place of the baseline treatment at the College of Du- Page. Data collected using the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation and the Force Concept Inventory were analyzed using the Model Analysis method developed by Bao and Redish[1] to determine the manner(s) in which the curricular modifica- tions affected students’ conceptual development throughout a course. The results of this analysis show that the majority of curricular changes had little overall effect on students’ conceptual understanding of physics. Several exceptions to this generality are discussed.

Recommended Citation

Smith, Trevor I., "Comparing the Effectiveness of Research-based Curricula for Teaching Introductory Mechanics" (2007). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1355.

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/1355

Moyer MST: Understanding of stem cells

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

In Spring 2004 an inquiry-based unit on stem cells was developed from chromatin dynamics research at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. The unit was developed according to the backwards design model of curriculum development and implemented in Bangor area high schools in April 2005 and June 2005. With slight modifications, the stem cell unit was re-implemented in June 2006 and tested against a traditional, lecture-based unit.

Open response pre- and post-tests were used to capture initial student conceptions and measure learning gains. Pre-instruction interviews were conducted in order to gain a deeper understanding of pre-test answers. In addition, a two-tailed matched-pair analysis of post-test answers was performed in order to determine the effectiveness of inquiry- based instruction versus lecture-based instruction.

Comparison of pre- and post-tests shows relatively large learning gains after instruction. Analysis of pre-test responses and interview transcripts reveals many misconceptions, such as a fairly widespread belief that abortions are done specifically to obtain stem cells and beliefs that the amount of genetic information of stem cells is different from differentiated cells. Other findings include how students use a variety of terms to describe differentiation and the belief that stem cells are more prevalent early in life and “used up” during development.

The results of the two-tailed, matched-pair analysis for the most part do not indicate statistically significant differences between inquiry- and lecture-based instruction. However, results for a question on controversial aspects of stem cell research imply that the lecture-based instruction was more effective than the inquiry-based instruction at helping students understand the controversy. This result suggests that, given the limited time span of the unit, inquiry-based methods by themselves may not be the most appropriate pedagogy for teaching about controversies in stem cell research. A combination of lecture and inquiry, where the instructor gives a small series of initial lectures before assigning students a genuine inquiry activity, may be a better approach.

Coombs MS in Physics on sound as a longitudinal wave

Investigating Student Understanding of Sound as a Longitudinal Wave
Earl C. Coombs, 2007 MS in Physics

The field of physics education research (PER) has highlighted the discrepancy between what is taught during traditional instruction in physics, and what students understand afterward. PER has also provided alternatives to traditional instruction that are research-based and have been shown to be more effective in bringing students’ level of understanding of physics more in line with that of the scientific community. One topic that has received attention is the propagation of sound. We confirmed that students in the introductory algebra-based and calculus-based physics courses at the University of Maine have difficulties with sound propagation similar to those documented by others. We found that a relatively small percentage of the students we interviewed from a calculus-based introductory physics course used the community consensus model of particles oscillating parallel to the direction of propagation. We identified three other mental models used by the interview subjects that have been described previously. The first was a model in which sound is considered to be an entity that passes through the medium without disturbing the particles of the medium. The second was a model in which sound is viewed as an entity that pushes the particles of the medium aside as it propagates. The third was a hybrid model in which the particles of the medium oscillate perpendicular to the direction of propagation. In an extension of the work by previous researchers in this area, we examined students’ ability to predict the points at which the particles of the medium have the maximum and the minimum magnitudes of velocity and displacement from their equilibrium positions. We found that students’ ability to do so was extremely limited. To improve student understanding of sound propagation, we developed an instructional tool in the form of a “tutorial” and evaluated its effectiveness through pre- and post-testing of students enrolled in an algebra-based introductory physics course. The tutorial constructed for this purpose was found to be successful in increasing the number of students that used the community consensus model when answering questions about sound propagation. It was less successful in enabling students to make accurate predictions about particle velocities and displacements.

Recommended Citation

Coombs, Earl C., "Investigating Student Understanding of Sound as a Longitudinal Wave" (2007). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 314.

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/314

Feeley - MST on thinking about gravitational forces

Roger E. Feeley

Identifying student concepts of gravity

unpublished Master of Science in Teaching, 2007

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.

Pratt MST: Zebrafish teratogenesis and an inquiry curriculum

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

A secondary-level zebrafish science education curriculum was designed and implemented with the Upward Bound Math Science program at the University of Maine in the summer of 2003. The six-week curriculum was designed to increase student scientific literacy in a program that integrates math and science education using inquiry- based methods. Scientific literacy is defined as knowledge of the nature of science, its concepts, and its human context: “A scientifically literate person is one who not only possesses a knowledge about these various aspects of science but also makes use of them in his or her ethical decision making and social participation in civic life” (NBPTS, 1997/2001). The zebrafish, Danio rerio, was chosen because it is a model organism in modern professional biological research. The zebrafish curriculum focused on biological development as a process that is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, and the zebrafish development time of approximately 72 hours made it possible to conduct student designed experiment within a weekday-oriented education schedule. The students in the curriculum had completed their 10th, 11th, or 12th grade years in high school, and some had up to two years of prior experience in UBMS. The students were grouped so that all experience levels were represented, and groups developed, defended, implemented, and analyzed data collected in zebrafish development experiments using various environmental teratogens. The defense of the experimental protocol took place in front of a panel of experts, requiring students to justify the ethical fitness of their self- designed research because it involved the use of a vertebrate organism. Students used statistical tools to test the data they collected, and developed scientific explanatory models to interpret the results. Facilitators worked closely with small groups to promote participation in all aspects of the curriculum from all students.

Student learning in the curriculum was measured using formative and summative techniques that collected both qualitative and quantitative data. Formative assessment helped to fine-tune the curriculum while being implemented and summative assessment gave insight into student development via facilitator observations, student writing samples, and pre-post test score statistical analysis. The results of student learning were used to determine whether or not the zebrafish curriculum succeeded in increasing student scientific literacy, and the zebrafish curriculum was evaluated even further by comparing its fit with selected elements of the National Science Education Standards (NAS, 1995).

Analysis of student groups’ writing samples, group facilitator student evaluations, and of fitness with the NSES demonstrated that the zebrafish curriculum had a significant effect on the improvement of scientific literacy and a good fit with research based standards intended to guide the development of inquiry based science curricula. Statistical analysis of pre-post test data with students grouped by years of experience shows that the number of years of experience in UBMS also had a statistically significant effect on performance on the pre-post test. Suggestions are given for future iterations of the zebrafish curriculum, with emphasis on the importance of setting on the potential for success in raising student scientific literacy.

Nelson MST: Concentrated workshop on force and motion

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

The National Science Education Standards and Maine Learning Results outline a comprehensive program for facilitating children’s learning of basic concepts in force and motion. The program has goals for children as early as Kindergarten, but assumes the teachers in our primary schools are prepared to handle these concepts. Unfortunately our elementary school teacher’s training programs do not require in-depth instruction in the sciences, and many of our elementary school teachers have never received instruction in basic physics. Lacking mastery of the content, many in-service teachers doubt their ability to present science material in their classrooms, and sometimes avoid the material all together. While standard summer coursework is available that might improve teacher understanding of the concepts, it is difficult for many teachers to commit to a summer long program. Short courses and workshops are offered as alternatives in a number of venues that try to address these deficiencies. This research project investigates whether a concentrated workshop format can have a lasting impact on in-service teacher conceptual understanding and self-efficacy as they relate to force and motion. A concentrated one-week workshop featuring inquiry-based learning and including epistemological topics was developed and administered during the summer of 2005. The Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE) was used to measure gain in conceptual understanding, and the Maryland Physics Expectations Survey (MPEX) and Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) were used to evaluate teacher attitudes, beliefs, and expectations relating to their own physics understanding and its role in their classrooms. While improvement was evident in both the FMCE and MPEX results, it is not clear that the amount of improvement produced is sufficient to fully prepare in-service teachers to facilitate learning in this area.

O'Brien MST: Physics First in Maine

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

Data from three high schools that teach physics in ninth grade and three that teach physics in twelfth grade were used to make comparisons between these classes. Research tools include written pre- and post-tests of kinematics and mechanics concepts, a written physics attitudes and expectations survey, and individual student interviews. Portions of these tools were excerpted from wellknown and thoroughly tested instruments. The normalized gains on the conceptual survey were compared, and analyzed to determine which kinematics and mechanics concepts ninth- and twelfth-graders appear to learn differently. Students' perceptions of physics from the ninth- and twelfth-grade viewpoints are also compared. Results suggest that while the populations are similar affectively, they have some significant differences in conceptual understanding, and this difference is amplified by different instructional approaches.

Recommended Citation

O'Brien, Michael James, "An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Physics First in Maine" (2006). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1362.

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/1362