Open Access
An Overview of Physics Education Research on Problem Solving
David P Maloney
- 01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: An overview of the research on solving tasks commonly used as "problems" in introductory physics courses is presented as an introduction to this domain of physics education research by Maloney as discussed by the authors, who identifies links between research in physics education and more general research on problem solving.
read more
Abstract: An overview of the research on solving tasks commonly used as “problems” in introductory physics courses is presented as an introduction to this domain of physics education research. This overview, which is not intended to be exhaustive, describes many aspects of the complex topic of investigating human problem solving to help identify issues of potential interest to researchers and instructors. The article identifies links between research in physics education and more general research on problem solving, and provides useful references. The article ends with a dozen open questions which the author believes deserve answers. Getting Started in Physics Education Research 1 Maloney Research in Problem Solving
read more
Chat with Paper
AI Agents for this Paper
Find similar papers on Google Scholar, PubMed and Arxiv
Write a critical review of this paper
Analyze citations of this paper to find unaddressed research gaps
Citations
How students blend conceptual and formal mathematical reasoning in solving physics problems
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that problem-solving expertise should include opportunistically blending conceptual and formal mathematical reasoning even while manipulating equations, which is a feasible instructional target for problem-solvers.
155
The Content of the Form
TL;DR: The Table of Forms as mentioned in this paper is a collection of poems written by formal constraints, with a glossary, with definitions and etymology of the methods he uses, and identification of which poems follow which methods.
148
Teaching Scientific Thinking Skills: Students and Computers Coaching Each Other
Lisa A. Scott,Frederick Reif +1 more
- 01 Jan 2001
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed computer programs called PALs (Personal A_ssistants for L_earning) in which computers and students alternately coach each other.
146
How students blend conceptual and formal mathematical reasoning in solving physics problems
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that problem-solving expertise should include opportunistically blending of conceptual and formal mathematical reasoning even while manipulating equations, and use case studies of interviews with two students, Alex and Pat.
128
Using Assessments to Investigate and Compare the Nature of Learning in Undergraduate Science Courses
Jennifer L. Momsen,Erika G. Offerdahl,Mila Kryjevskaia,Lisa Montplaisir,Elizabeth Anderson,Nate Grosz +5 more
TL;DR: Characterizing and comparing cognitive skills assessed by introductory biology and physics indicate that both course sequences assess primarily lower-order cognitive skills and there is no strong relationship between student performance and cognitive skill level.
References
Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping. Part 1: Group versus individual problem solving
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of cooperative group learning on the problem solving performance of college students in a large introductory physics course were investigated, and it was found that better problem solutions emerged through collaboration than were achieved by individuals working alone.
Effects of Knowledge Organization on Task Performance
Bat-Sheva Eylon,Frederick Reif +1 more
TL;DR: This study proposes a knowledge organization facilitating human performance on scientifically relevant recall and problem-solving tasks that is structured hierarchically so as to describe knowledge at different levels of detail and task-adapted so that higher levels include information most important for implementing the intended tasks.
Changes in Students' Problem-Solving Strategies in a Course that Includes Context-Rich, Multifaceted Problems.
TL;DR: This article found that 50% of physics students use Rolodex equation matching, i.e., they solve problems by searching for equations that have the same variables as the knowns and unknowns.
Teaching scientific thinking skills: Students and computers coaching each other
Frederick Reif,Lisa A. Scott +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed computer programs called PALs (Personal A_ssistants for L_earning) in which computers and students alternately coach each other.