Chini, Carmichael, Rebello, Puntambekar: AAPT Summer 2009 (Poster)

Can Simulations Replace Hands-on Experiments in Mechanics Too?*

Jacquelyn J. Chini, Adrian Carmichael, N. Sanjay Rebello
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506; USA

Sadhana Puntambaker
University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706; USA

It has previously been demonstrated [1] that an appropriately designed simulation can be more effective than analogous hands-on activities in the context of circuits. Circuits involve microscopic phenomenon, such as the movement of electrons, which can be modeled more clearly by a computer than real equipment. Will simulations be more effective than hands-on activities in other contexts, too? We investigated whether simulations could effectively replace hands-on experiments in a unit on inclined planes from the CoMPASS curriculum, which integrates hypertext concept maps with design-based activities [2]. Three sections of an introductory physics laboratory completed hands-on experiments, and two sections completed the same experiment in simulation. Students who used the simulations performed statistically significantly better on the post-test than students who completed the hands-on experiments.

[1] Finkelstein, N.D., et al., “When learning about the real world is better done virtually: A study of substituting computer simulations for laboratory equipment.” PRST-PER, 2005. 1: p. 010103.[2] Puntambekar, S., A. Stylianou, and R. Hübscher, “Improving navigation and learning in hypertext environments with navigable concept maps.” Human-Computer Interaction, 2003. 18: p. 395-428.

*This work is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, Award # R305A080507.

Chini, Carmichael, Rebello, Puntambekar: PERC 2009

Does the Teaching/Learning Interview Provide an Accurate Snapshot of Classroom Learning?

Jacquelyn J. Chini, Adrian Carmichael, and N. Sanjay Rebello
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506; USA

Sadhana Puntambekar
University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706; USA

The teaching/learning interview has been used to investigate student learning. The aim of the teaching/learning interview is to model a natural learning environment while allowing more direct access to a student’s or group’s thinking and reasoning. The interview typically involves one to four students working with a researcher/interviewer while being audio and video recorded. It has previously been reported [1] that the data collected in a teaching/learning interview is richer in detail than data collected in an actual classroom. We investigated the possibility that there were also other differences between these formats. We used the same instructional materials as well as pre-, mid- and post-tests in a teaching/learning interview and in a classroom laboratory setting. We will describe how the data collected in these two settings compare.

1. D. L. McBride, “Concept Categorization Analysis: Comparing Verbal and Written Data” in American Association of Physics Teachers Winter Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2009

**This work is funded in part by U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences Award R305A080507.

Carmichael, Chini, Rebello and Puntambekar: AAPT Poster 2009

How Does Classroom or Interview Room Environment Affect Research Data?

Adrian Carmichael, Jacquelyn J. Chini, N. Sanjay Rebello

Department of Physics, Kansas State University

Sadhana Puntambekar

Department of Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Research conducted in the contrived setting of an interview room, while intended to model a natural learning environment, may produce different results than data collected in an actual classroom. A teaching/learning interview in the interview room typically involves one to four students working with one researcher/facilitator while being audio and video recorded. This setting has the potential to cause students to respond differently than they would in the actual classroom. To investigate this possibility, we used the same instructional materials in a teaching interview and laboratory setting. The instructional materials were from the CoMPASS curriculum that integrates hypertext-based concept maps with design-based activities. All participants were enrolled in introductory concept-based physics. We will describe how the data collected in these two settings compare.

Carmichael, Chini, Rebello and Puntambekar: AAPT Summer 2009 Talk

Effectiveness of Hands on Experiments versus Computer Simulations in Mechanics*

Adrian Carmichael, Jacquelyn J. Chini, N. Sanjay Rebello

Department of Physics, Kansas State University

Sadhana Puntambaker

Department of Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Research has shown that that simulations can be more effective than hands-on activities when studying microscopic phenomenon such as electric currents, It has yet to be determined if they have the same effectiveness with macroscopic phenomenon, such as those in mechanics. This study investigates the effectiveness of replacing a hands-on laboratory with a computer simulation in the context of a unit on inclined planes in the CoMPASS curriculum. CoMPASS integrates hypertext based concept maps in a design-based context. Students in three of the five introductory physics laboratory sections completed the hands-on experiment while the other two sections performed the experiment virtually. The post- test scores of the students who used the simulations were found to be statistically significantly greater than those of students who completed the hands on experiment.

Carmichael, Chini, Rebello and Puntambekar: PERC 2009 Paper

Comparing Student Learning in Mechanics Using Simulations and Hands-on Activities

Adrian Carmichael¹, Jacquelyn J. Chini¹, N. Sanjay Rebello¹ and Sadhana Puntambekar²

^{1Kansas State University, 2University of Wisconsin, Madison}

Abstract. Often computer simulation environments present students with an idealized version of the real world which can affect students’ conceptual understanding. In this study we investigate the effects of completing an experiment in mechanics using this ideal world as compared to an identical experiment in the real world. Students in three of five conceptual physics laboratory sections completed the physical experiment while the other two sections performed the virtual experiment. The experiments were part of a unit on simple machines from the CoMPASS curriculum which integrates hypertext-based concept maps in a design-based context. There was no statistically significant difference between the pre and post data of the students in the two groups. Students who performed the virtual experiment were able to answer questions dealing with work and potential energy more correctly, though neither group was able to offer sound reasoning to support their answers.

*This work is funded in part by U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences Award R305A080507

Dong-Hai and Sanjay, PERC 2009 Paper

Students’ Difficulties in Transfer of Problem Solving Across Representations

Dong-Hai Nguyen and N. Sanjay Rebello
Department of Physics

116 Cardwell Hall - Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 66506-2601

Studies indicate that the use of multiple representations in teaching helps students become better problem solvers. We report on a study to investigate students’ difficulties with multiple representations. We conducted teaching/learning interviews with 20 students in a first semester calculus-based physics course. Each student was interviewed four times during the semester, each time after they had completed an exam in class. During these interviews students were first asked to solve a problem they had seen on the exam, followed by problems that differed in context and type of representation from the exam problem. Students were provided verbal scaffolding to solve the new problems. We discuss the common difficulties that students encountered when attempting to transfer their problem solving skills across problems in different representations.

Dong-Hai and Sanjay, AAPT Poster - Summer 2009

Students' Performance on Problem-Solving Tasks in Teaching/Learning Interviews*

Dong-Hai Nguyen and N. Sanjay Rebello

Department of Physics

116 Cardwell Hall - Kansas State University

Manhattan KS 66506

Learning how to solve problems in different contexts, domains, and representational forms is at the heart of training future scientists and engineers. We conducted individual teaching/learning interviews with 20 students in a calculus-based physics course. A total of four interviews per student were conducted during the semester, with each coming after an exam in their physics class. During each interview, students were asked to solve a problem that had been selected from their exam along with one or two more problems that shared deep physical similarities but had surface differences from the first problem. The differences might have been in representation, in context, or both. We present some of the interview protocols, the common difficulties that students encountered and the hints we provided to help them overcome those difficulties.

* Suppoter in part by grant U.S. NSF 0816207.