Students in introductory calculus-based physics not only have difficulty understanding the fundamental physical concepts, they often have difficulty relating those concepts to the mathematics they have learned in math courses. This produces a barrier to their robust use of concepts in complex problem solving. As a part of the Activity-Based Physics project, we are carrying out research on these difficulties and are developing instructional materials in the tutorial framework developed at the University of Washington by Lillian C. McDermott and her collaborators. In this paper, we present a discussion of student difficulties and the development of a mathematical tutorial on the subject of pulses moving on strings.
Using graphical and pictorial representations to teach introductory astronomy students about the detection of extrasolar planets via gravitational microlensing
An Investigation into the Correlations between Students' Written Responses to Lecture-Tutorial Questions and their Understandings of Key Astrophysics Concepts
One desired outcome of introductory physics instruction is that students will develop facility with reasoning quantitatively about physical phenomena. Little research has been done regarding how students develop the algebraic concepts and skills involved in reasoning productively about physics quantities, which is different from either understanding of physics concepts or problem-solving abilities. We introduce the Physics Inventory of Quantitative Literacy (PIQL) as a tool for measuring quantitative literacy, a foundation of mathematical reasoning, in the context of introductory physics. We p…
Instructor Framing and Incentives Shape Physics Students' Engagement and Learning Gains from an Inquiry-Based Electrostatics Tutorial on the Method of Images
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh(匹兹堡大学物理与天文学系)
This study uses social network analysis and the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS) to characterize six research-based introductory physics curricula. Peer Instruction, Modeling Instruction, ISLE, SCALE-UP, Context-Rich Problems, and Tutorials in Introductory Physics were investigated. Students in each curriculum were given a survey at the beginning and end of term, asking them to self-identify peers with whom they had meaningful interactions in class. Every curriculum showed an increase in the average number of student connections from the beginning of term to the en…
Mathematical reasoning with algebraic and graphical representations is essential for success in physics courses. Many problems require students to fluently move between algebraic and graphical representations. We developed a freely available serious game to challenge the representational fluency of introductory students regarding vector fields. Within the game, interactive puzzles are solved using different types of vector fields that must be configured with the correct mathematical parameters. A reward system implemented in the game prevents from using trial-and-error approaches and instead e…
Teaching color science to Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) students is critical to preparing them for advanced topics such as graphics, visualization, imaging, Augmented/Virtual Reality. Color historically receive little attention in EECS curriculum; students find it difficult to grasp basic concepts. This is because today's pedagogical approaches are nonintuitive and lack rigor for teaching color science. We develop a set of interactive tutorials that teach color science to EECS students. Each tutorial is backed up by a mathematically rigorous narrative, but is presented in …
With limited time available in the classroom, e-learning tools can supplement in-class learning by providing opportunities for students to study and learn outside of class. Such tools can be especially helpful for students who lack adequate prior preparation. However, one critical issue is ensuring that students, especially those in need of additional help, engage with the tools as intended. Here we first discuss an empirical investigation in which students in a large algebra-based physics course were given opportunities to work through research-validated tutorials outside of class as self-stu…
Calculating a journey to Mars with introductory physics
Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Departamento de Física(基础科学学院物理系);Centro de Desarrollo de Investigación CEDI-UMCE(CEDI-UMCE研究中心);Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación(教育与科学都会大学)
Solving Linear Systems of Equations with the Quantum HHL Algorithm: A Tutorial on the Physical and Mathematical Foundations for Undergraduate Students
Latin America Quantum Computing Center, SENAI CIMATEC(拉丁美洲量子计算中心,SENAI CIMATEC);QuIIN - Quantum Industrial Innovation, Centro de Competência Embrapii Cimatec. SENAI CIMATEC(QuIIN - 量子工业创新中心,Embrapii Cimatec能力中心。SENAI CIMATEC);Centro de Ciências Exatas e das Tecnologias, Universidade Federal do Oeste da Bahia - Campus Reitor Edgard Santos(理学院与技术学院,巴伊亚联邦大学雷托尔·埃德加多·桑托斯校区)
Learning to use math in physics involves combining (blending) our everyday experiences and the conceptual ideas of physics with symbolic mathematical representations. Graphs are one of the best ways to learn to build the blend. They are a mathematical representation that builds on visual recognition to create a bridge between words and equations. But students in introductory physics classes often see a graph as an endpoint, a task the teacher asks them to complete, rather than as a tool to help them make sense of a physical system. And most of the graph problems in traditional introductory phy…