Bucy PhD: Thermo, Entropy, and Partial Differentials

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Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, August 2007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

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Unpublished MST thesis, University of Maine, August, 2007.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.

Bucy, Thompson, Mountcastle on Partial Differentiation

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

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).

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.

Sayre and Wittmann on coordinate systems

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

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

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.

Wittmann on resource graphs

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

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.

Wittmann, Morgan, Feeley on probability in quantum

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

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.