arXiv subjects

Dimitri R. Dounas-Frazer

Publications and source records attributed to Dimitri R. Dounas-Frazer.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Electronics lab instructors' approaches to troubleshooting instruction

In this exploratory qualitative study, we describe instructors' self-reported practices for teaching and assessing students' ability to troubleshoot in electronics lab courses. We collected audio data from interviews with 20 electronics instructors from 18 institutions that varied by size, selectivity, and other factors. In addition to describing participants' instructional practices, we characterize their perceptions about the role of troubleshooting in electronics, the importance of the ability to troubleshoot more generally, and what it means for students to be competent troubleshooters. One major finding of this work is that, while almost all instructors in our study said that troubleshooting is an important learning outcome for students in electronics lab courses, only half of instructors said they directly assessed students' ability to troubleshoot. Based on our findings, we argue that there is a need for research-based instructional materials that attend to both cognitive and non-cognitive aspects of troubleshooting proficiency. We also identify several areas for future investigation related to troubleshooting instruction in electronics lab courses.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2016

Nothing works the first time: An expert experimental physics epistemology

The ability to troubleshoot is an important learning outcome for undergraduate physics laboratory courses. To better understand the role of troubleshooting in electronics laboratory courses, we interviewed 20 electronics instructors from multiple institution types about their beliefs and teaching practices related to troubleshooting. In these interviews, instructors articulated the idea that \emph{nothing works the first time} in multiple contexts pertaining to troubleshooting. We argue that this idea is an expert epistemology and show how it informs instructors' beliefs that (i) students need to know how to troubleshoot, (ii) students should expect to troubleshoot, (iii) all circuit-building lab activities provide opportunities for students to troubleshoot, and (iv) students' ability to construct functional circuits can be a proxy for their ability to troubleshoot malfunctioning circuits. Moreover, we discuss implications for instruction and assessment of troubleshooting in electronics courses.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2016

Investigating the role of model-based reasoning while troubleshooting an electric circuit

We explore the overlap of two nationally-recognized learning outcomes for physics lab courses, namely, the ability to model experimental systems and the ability to troubleshoot a malfunctioning apparatus. Modeling and troubleshooting are both nonlinear, recursive processes that involve using models to inform revisions to an apparatus. To probe the overlap of modeling and troubleshooting, we collected audiovisual data from think-aloud activities in which eight pairs of students from two institutions attempted to diagnose and repair a malfunctioning electrical circuit. We characterize the cognitive tasks and model-based reasoning that students employed during this activity. In doing so, we demonstrate that troubleshooting engages students in the core scientific practice of modeling.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2016

Using Peer Feedback to Promote Reflection on Open-Ended Problems

This paper describes a new approach for learning from homework, called Peer-Assisted Reflection (PAR). PAR involves students using peer feedback to improve their work on open-ended homework problems. Collaborating with peers and revising one's work based on the feedback of others are important aspects of doing and learning physics. While notable exceptions exist, homework and exams are generally individual activities that do not support collaboration and refinement, which misses important opportunities to use assessment for learning. In contrast, PAR provides students with a structure to iteratively engage with challenging, open-ended problems and solicit the input of their peers to improve their work.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2015

The role of modeling in troubleshooting: an example from electronics

Troubleshooting systems is integral to experimental physics in both research and instructional laboratory settings. The recently adopted AAPT Lab Guidelines identify troubleshooting as an important learning outcome of the undergraduate laboratory curriculum. We investigate students' model-based reasoning on a troubleshooting task using data collected in think-aloud interviews during which pairs of students attempted to diagnose and repair a malfunctioning circuit. Our analysis scheme is informed by the Experimental Modeling Framework, which describes physicists' use of mathematical and conceptual models when reasoning about experimental systems. We show that this framework is a useful lens through which to characterize the troubleshooting process.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2015

Access to undergraduate research experiences at a large research university

The American Physical Society recently released a statement calling on all university physics departments to provide or facilitate access to research experiences for all undergraduate students. In response, we investigated the current status of access to undergraduate research at University of Colorado Boulder (CU), a large research institution where the number of undergraduate physics majors outnumber faculty by roughly ten to one. We created and administered two surveys within CU's Physics Department: one probed undergraduate students' familiarity with, and participation in, research; the other probed faculty members' experiences as research mentors to undergraduates. We describe the development of these instruments, our results, and our corresponding evidence-based recommendations for improving local access to undergraduate research experiences. Reflecting on our work, we make several connections to an institutional change framework and note how other universities and colleges might adapt our process.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2015

The role of metacognition in troubleshooting: an example from electronics

Students in physics laboratory courses, particularly at the upper division, are often expected to engage in troubleshooting. Although there are numerous ways in which students may proceed when diagnosing a problem, not all approaches are equivalent in terms of providing meaningful insight. It is reasonable to believe that metacognition, by assisting students in making informed decisions, is an integral component of effective troubleshooting. We report on an investigation of authentic student troubleshooting in the context of junior-level electronics courses at two institutions. Think-aloud interviews were conducted with pairs of students as they attempted to repair a malfunctioning operational-amplifier circuit. Video data from the interviews have been analyzed to examine the relationship between each group's troubleshooting activities and instances of socially mediated metacognition. We present an analysis of a short episode from one interview.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2015

Investigating student ownership of projects in an upper-division physics lab course

In undergraduate research experiences, student development of an identity as a scientist is coupled to their sense of ownership of their research projects. As a a first step towards studying similar connections in physics laboratory courses, we investigate student ownership of projects in a lasers-based upper-division course. Students spent the final seven weeks of the semester working in groups on final projects of their choosing. Using data from the Project Ownership Survey and weekly student reflections, we investigate student ownership as it relates to students' personal agency, self-efficacy, peer interactions, and complex affective responses to challenges and successes. We present evidence of students' project ownership in an upper-division physics lab. Additionally, we find that there is a complex relationship between student affect and their sense of ownership.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2015

Attending to lifelong learning skills through guided reflection in a physics class

This paper describes a tool, the Guided Reflection Form (GRF), which was used to promote reflection in a modeling-based physics course. Each week, students completed a guided reflection and received feedback from their instructors. These activities were intended to help students become better at the process of reflection, developing skills that they could apply in their future learning. We analyzed student reflections: (1) to provide insight into the reflection process itself and (2) to describe common themes in student reflections. Most students were able to use the GRF to reflect on their learning in meaningful ways. Moreover, the themes present in student reflections provide insights into struggles commonly faced by physics students. We discuss the design of the GRF in detail, so that others may use it as a tool to support student reflections.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2013

Uncertainty Analysis for a Simple Thermal Expansion Experiment

We describe a simple experiment for measuring the thermal expansion coefficient of a metal wire and discuss how the experiment can be used as a tool for exploring the interplay of measurement uncertainty and scientific models. In particular, we probe the regimes of applicability of three models of the wire: stiff and massless, elastic and massless, and elastic and massive. Using both analytical and empirical techniques, we present the conditions under which the wire's mass and elasticity can be neglected. By accounting for these effects, we measure nichrome's thermal expansion coefficient to be 17.1(1.3) ppm/K, which is consistent with the accepted value at the 8% level.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2012

Building Classroom and Organizational Structure Around Positive Cultural Values

The Compass Project is a self-formed group of graduate and undergraduate students in the physical sciences at UC Berkeley. Our goals are to improve undergraduate physics education, provide opportunities for professional development, and increase retention of students-especially those from populations typically underrepresented in the physical sciences. Compass fosters a diverse, collaborative student community by providing a wide range of services, including a summer program and fall/spring seminar courses. We describe Compass's cultural values, discuss how community members are introduced to and help shape those values, and demonstrate how a single set of values informs the structure of both our classroom and organization.We emphasize that all members of the Compass community participate in, and benefit from, our cultural values, regardless of status as student, teacher, or otherwise.

physics.ed-ph↗