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arXiv2020

Determination of the helpfulness of physics exam study methods

Studying for physics exams can be difficult and stressful, especially during a student's introductory year in physics. For students who do not plan to major in physics, the desire to do well is based less on understanding concepts and more on achieving a better grade. For this reason, students want to study as efficiently as possible by using the most optimal study methods. We have taken surveys over the past three years to determine how students study for exams and compared that to their exam grades. We found that students who studied using methods that they rated as more helpful did better on the exams. By utilizing the study results, we are able to present our current and future students with study methods that have been rated as being more helpful, and give them advice on ways to optimize their study time for exams.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

Bernoulli's muddle: a research on students' misconceptions in fluid dynamics

Bernoulli's equation, which relates the pressure of an ideal fluid in motion with its velocity and height under certain conditions, is a central topic in General Physics courses for Science and Engineering students. This equation, frequently used both textbooks as in science outreach activities or museums, is often extrapolated to explain situations in which it is no longer valid. A common example is to assume that, in any situation, higher speed means lower pressure, a conclusion that is only acceptable under certain conditions. In this paper we report the results of an investigation with university students on some misconceptions present in fluid dynamics. We found that after completing the General Physics courses, many students have not developed a correct model about the interaction of a fluid element with its environment and extrapolate the idea that higher speed implies lower pressure in situations where it is no longer valid. We also show that an approach to fluid dynamics based on Newton's laws is more natural to address these misconceptions.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

A Set of Virtual Experiments of Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, Optics, and Modern Physics for Virtual Teaching of Introductory Physics

This is the third series of the lab manuals for virtual teaching of introductory physics classes. This covers fluids, waves, thermodynamics, optics, interference, photoelectric effect, atomic spectra, and radiation concepts. A few of these labs can be used within Physics I and a few other labs within Physics II depending on the syllabi of Physics I and II classes. Virtual experiments in this lab manual and our previous Physics I (arXiv.2012.09151) and Physics II (arXiv.2012.13278) lab manuals were designed for 2.45 hrs long lab classes (algebra-based and calculus-based). However, all the virtual labs in these three series can be easily simplified to align with conceptual type or short time physics lab classes as desired. All the virtual experiments were based on open education resource (OER) type simulations. Virtual experiments were designed to simulate in-person physical laboratory experiments. Student learning outcomes (understand, apply, analyze and evaluate) were studied with detailed lab reports per each experiment and end of the semester written exam which was based on experiments. Special emphasis was given to study the student skill development of computational data analysis.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

The physics of diamagnetic levitation

We formulate a problem on diamagnetic levitation, which may be suitable for specialized high-school or first-year students in physical sciences. We guide the students, step-by-step, through the physics of diamagnetic levitation. The calculations are simplified by assuming a ring-shaped geometry of the diamagnetic object residing above a magnetic dipole. This problem was originally intended for the International Physics Olympiad 2016 (IPHO 2016), but was finally deemed surplus and therefore not set.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

Measuring the Impact of COVID-19 Induced Campus Closure on Student Self-Regulated Learning in Physics Online Learning Modules

This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 induced campus closure on university students' self-regulated learning behavior by analyzing click-stream data collected from student interactions with 70 online learning modules in a university physics course. To do so, we compared the trend of six types of actions related to the three phases of self-regulated learning before and after campus closures and between two semesters. We found that campus closure changed students' planning and goal setting strategies for completing the assignments, but didn't have a detectable impact on the outcome or the time of completion, nor did it change students' self-reflection behavior. The results suggest that most students still manage to complete assignments on time during the pandemic, while the design of online learning modules might have provided the flexibility and support for them to do so.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

A Paradigm Shift: The Implications of Working Memory Limits for Physics and Chemistry Instruction

Scientists who study how the brain solves problems have recently verified that, because of stringent limitations in working memory, where the brain solves problems, students must apply facts and algorithms that have previously been well memorized to reliably solve problems of any complexity. This is a paradigm shift: A change in the fundamental understanding of how the brain solves problems and how we can best guide students to learn to solve problems in the physical sciences. One implication is that for students, knowledge of concepts and big ideas is not sufficient to solve most problems assigned in physics and chemistry courses for STEM majors. To develop an intuitive sense of which fundamentals to recall when, first students must make the fundamental relationships of a topic recallable with automaticity then apply those fundamentals to solving problems in a variety of distinctive contexts. Based on these findings, cognitive science has identified strategies that speed learning and assist in retention of physics and chemistry. Experiments will be suggested by which instructors can test science-informed methodologies.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2022

Gender-grade-gap zeroed out under a specific intro-physics assessment regime

Evidence is presented that offering introductory physics courses with an explicit focus on mastery can reduce the gender gap to zero. Taken together with a previous study showing that a concepts-first course may zero out another demographic gap leads one to speculate that demographic grade gaps in introductory physics are just artifacts of the design of the courses and that none of these classes/grades should be assumed to be demographically neutral.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

Determinação do centro de massa de uma peça triangular por meio de partições a partir da mediana

It is well known the method of determining the center of mass of a triangular piece in which it is hanged from each one of its vertices while drawing from the vertice its verticals. The intersection of the three verticals is considered as the center of mass, verified by equilibrating the piece over a point object. But not everybody knows that the method was developed by Arquimedes 2,300 years ago, determining the geometrical elements to the medians of the triangle. He demonstrated theoretically its result and, inspired on his demonstration we developed another one, which lends to the ideia and methods of the differential and integral calculus.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

What are the attitudes and beliefs about Science of the Physics teachers and future Physics teachers in Uruguay?

We investigated the epistemological conceptions of the uruguayan Physics teachers and future Physics teachers through the application of the CLASS test (Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey), one of the most accepted instruments in the research community in Physics education. The results obtained allow us to compare the attitudes and beliefs about science of both groups and quantitatively evaluate the agreement or not with the conceptions of experts in the field. First, we present a general screenshot of the responses and then we identify categories in which there are significant similarities or differences between the two groups studied and in turn with the reference of the experts. The categories that show significant positive or negative variations between the opinions of future teachers and teachers indicate the areas where training is favorable or unfavorable. On the other hand, the areas where the differences with the opinions of the experts are globally notorious suggest that they should be strengthened. To get a more global perspective, we also compare our results with those published in the literature. Finally, we raise several questions that we think may favor further inquiries.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2022

How about that Bayes: Bayesian techniques and the simple pendulum

Physics increasingly uses Bayesian techniques for systematic data analysis and model-to-data comparison. This paper describes how these methods can be implemented to answer questions of relevance to teaching laboratories. It demonstrates the Bayesian approach to statistical modeling and model selection in a step-by-step workflow. The simple pendulum provides a demonstration with the precision commonly seen in the introductory laboratory. This is used to provide realistic, quantitative guidance for model preference between the small angle approximation and more complicated formula. This extends the simple pendulum literature's focus beyond comparing individual idealized assessments of different approximations and provides actionable, data-driven guidance for teaching laboratory design.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

From nuclei to neutron stars: simple binding energy computer modelling in the classroom (part 2)

We introduce two simple online activities to explore the physics of neutron stars. These provide an introduction to the basic properties of compact objects, like their masses and radii, for secondary school students. The first activity explores the idea of the minimum mass of a neutron star. It is directly linked to the concept of binding energy and follows on from our previous activities. The second activity focuses on the maximum mass of neutron stars using a solvable model of the neutron star interior. The activities are based on spreadsheets, provided as Supplementary Material, and can be easily adapted to different levels, age groups and discussion topics. In particular, these activities can naturally lead towards discussions on extrapolations and limits of theoretical models.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2021

A Curious Use of Extra Dimension in Classical Mechanics

Extra dimensions can be utilized to simplify problems in classical mechanics, offering new insights. Here we show a simple example of how the motion of a test particle under the influence of an inverse-quadratic potential in 1D is equivalent to that of another test particle moving freely in 2D Euclidean space and 3D Minkowskian space.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2022

Case Study: Context Interactions & Physics Faculty's Professional Development

This paper investigates the interactions between context and professional development of physics instructors in a case study of two physics faculty. A phenomenological-case study approach was used to analyze two physics faculty at different institutions over a year and a half using three semi-structured interviews each. The data enabled the identification of relevant context elements; and the impact of these elements on physics faculty was explored by adapting a framework that examines instructors' professional development. The analysis shows that both case study subjects used their physics expertise and growing understanding of their context to develop their physics teaching. However, this growth was enacted differently given the nature of their context, highlighting instructors' strengths in navigating their local context to improve their physics teaching. The results show the subtleties of how context has a salient, complex, and evolving role in moderating faculty's professional development. By taking a faculty-centric approach, this paper broadens the community's awareness of the ways physics instructors develop their physics teaching. This work contributes to a relatively new lens by which the physics community views, discusses, and supports the professional development of physics faculty.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

An Innovative Ecosystem for Accelerator Science and Technology

The emergence of new technologies and innovative communication tools permits us to transcend societal challenges. While particle accelerators are essential instruments to improve our quality of life through science and technology, an adequate ecosystem is essential to activate and maximize this potential. Research Infrastructure (RI) and industries supported by enlightened organizations and education, can generate a sustainable environment to serve this purpose. In this paper, we will discuss state-of-the-art infrastructures taking the lead to reach this impact, thus contributing to economic and social transformation.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

Problem of the 8th Experimental Physics Olympiad, Skopje, 8 May 2021 Determination of Planck constant by LED

This is the problem of the 8$^\mathrm{th}$ International Experimental Physics Olympiad (EPO). The task of the EPO8 is to determine Plank constant $\hbar=h/2π$ using the given set-up with LED. If you have an idea how to do it, do it and send us the result; skip the reading of the detailed step by step instructions with increasing difficulties. We expect the participants to follow the suggested items -- they are instructive for physics education in general.Only the reading of historical remarks given in the first section can be omitted during the Olympiad without loss of generality. Participants should try solving as much tasks as they can without paying attention to the age categories: give your best.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2022

Online test administration results in students selecting more responses to multiple-choice-multiple-response items

Multiple-choice multiple-response (MCMR) items (i.e., multiple-choice questions for which more than one response may be selected) can be a valuable tool for assessment. Like traditional multiple-choice single-response questions, they are easy to score, but MCMR items can provide more information about student thinking by probing multiple reasoning facets in a single problem context. In this paper, we discuss differences in performance on MCMR items that result from differences in administration method (paper vs. online). In particular, we find a tendency for ``clickiness'' in online administration: students choose more responses to MCMR items when taking the electronic version of the assessment. Based on these findings, we recommend that online administration be compared only to other online administrations and not to paper administrations when comparing student results on MCMR items. These results also suggest that MCMR items provide a unique opportunity to probe differences in online and on-paper administration of low-stakes assessments.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

Repeat a physics course more than once: A diagnosis of the most frequent misconceptions in newtonian mechanics of first and second-year engineering students

In this work, we study a sample of 600 engineering students in three consecutive physics courses of different levels, according to their curriculum. We focus on the most frequent students' misconceptions in newtonian mechanics. It was administered the FCI test at the beginning of the academic semester in each course. We use the taxonomy of misconceptions probed in the FCI test, and through this, we establish correlations between the number of attempts in each course, to explore if there are misconceptions that repeat in the students that are on more than one attempt-in each course. The data reported in this paper were analyzed using the method of dominant incorrect answers. The results show that there is no relevant difference between a student on his first attempt and a student on his third or more attempt, in each course, in terms of the most frequent misconceptions.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2021

Embodied engagement with scientific concepts: An exploration into emergent learning

In response to an invitation to integrate science and art pedagogy, science and dance students, enrolled in specific discipline courses, collaboratively produced choreography based on scientific principles. This paper reports students experience of this process. Science students reported an increased understanding of concepts, while dance students found inspiration for choreography within scientific concepts. Tensions and misconceptions were evident in the process with respect to disciplinary language, the notion of scientific thought, and the level of physical awareness. The relationship between movement and forms of knowledge production in science is investigated as well. The paper ends with recommendations for future classes.

physics.ed-ph↗