Elizabeth Gire

How does visual attention differ between experts and novices on physics problems

Research in many disciplines has used eye‐tracking technology to investigate the differences in the visual attention of experts and novices. For example, it has been shown that experts in art and chess spend more time than novices looking at relevant information. Thus, it may be helpful to give novices more direct insight into the way experts allocate their visual attention, for example using attentional cueing techniques. However, not much is known about how experts allocate their attention on physics problems. More specifically, we look at physics problems where the critical information needed to answer the problem is contained in a diagram. This study uses eye movements to investigate how the allocation of visual attention differs between experts and novices on these types of physics problems. We find that in several problems tested, those who answered a question correctly spend more time looking at thematically relevant areas while those who answer incorrectly spend more time looking at perceptually s...

Is Instructional Emphasis on the Use of Non‐Mathematical Representations Worth the Effort?

A hallmark of physics is its rich use of representations. The most common types used by physicists are mathematical representations such as equations, but many problems are rendered more tractable through the use of other representations such as diagrams or graphs. Examples of representations include force diagrams in mechanics, state diagrams in thermodynamics, and motion graphs in kinematics. Most introductory physics courses teach students to use these representations as they apply physical models to problems. But does student representation use correlate with problem‐solving success? In this paper we address this question by analyzing student representation usage during the first semester of an introductory physics course for biologists taught in an active‐learning setting.

Making sense of quantum operators, eigenstates and quantum measurements

Operators play a central role in the formalism of quantum mechanics. In particular, operators corresponding to observables encode important information about the results of quantum measurements. We interviewed upper-level undergraduate physics majors about their understanding of the role of operators in quantum measurements. Previous studies have shown that many students think of measurements on quantum systems as being deterministic and that measurements mathematically correspond to operators acting on the initial quantum state. This study is consistent with and expands on those results. We report on how two students make sense of a quantum measurement problem involving sequential measurements and the role that the eigenvalue equation plays in this sense-making.

Investigating the Perceived Difficulty of Introductory Physics Problems

We present two studies investigating factors that correlate with students’ and instructors’ perceptions of problem difficulty. In the first study, introductory physics students and instructors were asked to rate the difficulty of textbook‐style work‐energy problems. These difficulty ratings are compared and we look for correlations between the difficulty ratings and a measure of problem complexity. We find differences between students’ and instructors’ ratings and a correlation between instructors’ ratings and problem complexity but no significant correlation between students’ ratings and problem complexity. In the second study, we asked introductory physics students and instructors to rate the difficulty of textbook‐style kinematics problems. Additionally, we asked students to provide ratings of their familiarity with these problems and complete solutions. We explore the relationship between difficulty ratings, problem complexity, problem familiarity, and the rate at which students solve the problems cor...

Facilitating Strategies for Solving Work‐Energy Problems in Graphical and Equational Representations

Our previous research has suggested that the major difficulty students have when solving physics problems posed in graphical and equational representations is due to students’ inability to appropriately activate the required mathematical knowledge in the context of a physics problem. Based on these results, we developed problem sets for each major topic in introductory mechanics. Each set consisted of one or two pairs of matched math and physics problems, debate problems, and problem posing tasks. We conducted focus group learning interviews with two groups of students working in pairs: a treatment group working on our research‐based problem sets and a control group solving isomorphic textbook problems on the same topics. We present here a description of one of our problem sets on Work‐Energy problems as well as a comparison of the performance of the two groups on transfer problems on Work‐Energy involving graphical and equational representations.

Cognitive Development At The Middle‐Division Level

One of the primary goals, as students transition from the lower‐division to upper‐division courses is to facilitate the cognitive development needed for work as a physicist. The Paradigms in Physics curriculum (junior‐level courses developed at Oregon State University) addresses this goal by coaching students to coordinate different modes of reasoning, highlighting common techniques and concepts across physics topics, and setting course expectations to be more aligned with the professional culture of physicists. This poster will highlight some of the specific ways in which we address these cognitive changes in the context of classical mechanics and E&M.

Resources Students Use to Understand Quantum Mechanical Operators

The Paradigms team at Oregon State University has developed a quantum mechanics curriculum aimed at middle division students that begins with a strong emphasis on using operators, matrices and Dirac notation to describe quantum systems. The curriculum begins with spin systems, and this content ordering relies on students being able to understand quantum mechanical operators, eigenstates and quantum measurement without prior instruction on wave functions. We have analyzed classroom and an interview video to identify resources students use when considering these quantum ideas. Identification of such resources will inform introductory curricula that are prerequisite to the quantum Paradigms and inform the development of Paradigms materials that will guide students to use these resources productively.

Characterizing the Epistemologicai Development of Physics Majors

Differences between novice and expert physics students have frequently been reported, yet students’ development through intermediate stages has seldom been described. In this study, we characterize undergraduate physics majors’ epistemological sophistication at various levels of degree progress. A cross‐section of physics majors was surveyed with the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey. Beginning physics majors are significantly more expert‐like than non‐physics majors in introductory physics courses; furthermore, this high level of sophistication is constant over the first three years of the physics degree program, with increases at the senior and graduate levels. Based on longitudinal data on a subset of students, we observe negligible average shift in students’ responses over periods of up to two years. We discuss implications for how and why physics students’ epistemological sophistication develops, including a possible connection between CLASS survey response and self‐identification as a...

Upper‐Division Activities That Foster “Thinking Like A Physicist”

In this targeted poster session, curriculum developers presented their favorite upper‐division activity to small groups of session participants. The developers and participants were asked to identify hidden curriculum goals related to “thinking like a physicist” and discuss how the different styles of activities might help students achieve these goals.

Facilitating Students’ Problem Solving across Multiple Representations in Introductory Mechanics

Solving problems presented in multiple representations is an important skill for future physicists and engineers. However, such a task is not easy for most students taking introductory physics courses. We conducted teaching/learning interviews with 20 students in a first‐semester calculus‐based physics course on several topics in introductory mechanics. These interviews helped identify the common difficulties students encountered when solving physics problems posed in multiple representations as well as the hints that help students overcome those difficulties. We found that most representational difficulties arise due to the lack of students’ ability to associate physics knowledge with corresponding mathematical knowledge. Based on those findings, we developed, tested and refined a set of problem‐solving exercises to help students learn to solve problems in graphical and equational representations. We present our findings on students’ common difficulties with graphical and equational representations, the ...