Large-scale studies on the transferability of general problem-solving skills and the pedagogic potential of physics

Mashood, K. K.; Singh, Vijay A.

doi:10.1088/0031-9120/48/5/629

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Not only the low score MBT shows off, but also we realized the low confidence in answering the question in this study. The quiet confidence in answering a question such as "a student answered the question correctly but ranked it 'I answered this question by guessing or just ticking,' or a student wrongly answered the question but ranked it 'I answered this question confidently'" shows the students' misconception (Mashood & Singh, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Teaching and Learning Bucket Model: Experimented with Mechanics Baseline Test

Ndihokubwayo¹,

Nyirahabimana²,

Musengimana³

2021

EUROPEAN J ED RES

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Mechanics, as a large part of physics, shows the most basic concepts we encounter in our daily lives. With this regard, we implemented the mechanics baseline test (MBT) to the University of Rwanda - College of Education before and after the teaching mechanics module to track students learning. About 38 students participated in this study. We found the instructional strategies used to fit in a model we named "teaching and learning bucket" (lecturer backing and learners owning learning) during data analysis. The results showed that the performance occurred only in 12 out of 26 MBT items at a p<.001, and Cohen's D effect size of 1.26. Such analysis also allowed us to identify areas of mechanics that need teaching improvement, such as (a) constant acceleration, (b) average velocity, (c) the first law of Newton, (d) work and energy, and (e) energy conservation. There was also a positive correlation (r=0.58) between students' confidence in answering questions and correct answers provided and vice versa. Therefore, the research significantly informs lecturers to use various teaching approaches to effectively employ the teaching and learning bucket (TLB) model.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many studies have evaluated its effectiveness in comparing various instruction modes. For instance, researches have proved that students performed well in the MBT after being taught through active learning methods (Eijkelhof, 2011;Jackson, 2003;Mashood & Singh, 2013) by their lecturers. There are several tests related to MBT.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teaching and Learning Bucket Model: Experimented with Mechanics Baseline Test

Ndihokubwayo¹,

Nyirahabimana²,

Musengimana³

2021

EUROPEAN J ED RES

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“…A major goal of physics courses is to help students learn physics concepts [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] while also developing their problem solving and reasoning skills [10][11][12][13][14]. Researchers have been involved in developing and evaluating evidence-based active-engagement (EBAE) curricula and pedagogies to improve student learning, but implementation of these EBAE approaches has been slow.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Instructional Pragmatism: Using a variety of evidence-based approaches flexibly to improve learning

Justice¹,

Marshman²,

Singh³

2020

2020 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings

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Instructional pragmatism is essential for successfully adapting evidence-based active engagement (EBAE) approaches and involves instructors viewing improving teaching and learning as a process. Promoting and supporting instructional pragmatism is critical for ensuring that instructors are not disheartened if EBAE approaches do not produce desired outcome. Cultivating instructional pragmatism entails supporting instructors so that they recognize the value of being patient and optimistic while adapting EBAE approaches and keep a variety of approaches in their instructional toolbox. Here we illustrate an example of instructional pragmatism in which a quantum mechanics instructor did not give up when an EBAE method involving implementation of a sequence of clicker questions on addition of angular momentum did not yield expected learning outcomes. Encouraging instructors to embrace instructional pragmatism and creating a community of educators who support each other and discuss their implementation of EBAE approaches can go a long way in helping students learn physics.

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“…Harper [15] and Heller et al [16][17][18] have investigated physics students' problem solving behaviors, advantages of cooperative group problem solving in physics and faculty beliefs and values about the teaching and learning of problem solving. Meltzer [19] investigated the relation between representational mode and physics problem solving and Mashood et al [20] conducted large-scale studies on the transferability of general problem solving skills. Gladding et al [21] investigated student learning using mastery style vs immediate feedback online activities and Ding et al [22] have used conceptual scaffolding to foster effective problem solving in introductory physics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of traditional or evidence-based active-engagement instruction on introductory female and male students’ attitudes and approaches to physics problem solving

Good

Maries

Singh

2019

Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res.

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Over the course of instruction, not only does most introductory physics students' content knowledge evolve but their attitudes and approaches to problem solving are also likely to evolve. This change may depend on many factors including the curricula and pedagogies used, the degree to which instruction actively engages students in the learning process, as well as the gender of the students. While changes in epistemology and beliefs about physics have been examined in the literature, how students' attitudes and approaches to problem solving change from the beginning to the end of instruction in introductory physics and how method of instruction or gender of the student impact them remain largely unexplored. To examine the potential changes in attitudes and approaches to problem solving over a semester, we administered a previously validated attitudes and approaches to problem solving (AAPS) survey both at the beginning (pre) and at the end of instruction (post) in eight large enrollment calculus-based introductory physics classes at a large research university in the United States. At both points in time (beginning and end of a semester of instruction), each class was also given surveys measuring students' conceptual understanding: the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) or the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM), depending upon whether it was the first or second semester course. In addition, final exam scores, gender of students, and descriptions of the instructional methods used for each class were collected. The AAPS survey was used to measure students' attitudes and approaches to problem solving, and the conceptual surveys and exam scores were used to measure the degree to which each course helped students learn physics concepts. We examined students' performance on the AAPS survey, FCI or CSEM, and final exams, and compared the results for different instructional methods, and gender of students. Moreover, we examined whether or not there were correlations between the expertlike response on the AAPS survey and the performance on FCI or CSEM or final exams. We found that all classes exhibited a decline in score on the AAPS survey suggesting worse attitudes related to problem solving after instruction. Furthermore, controlling for the initial scores, classes which involved significant use of evidence-based active engagement methods exhibited statistically significantly better scores on the AAPS survey at the end of the course compared to classes which were taught primarily using a traditional lecture-based approach. Equally importantly, unlike broader epistemological surveys, female students were found to exhibit less of a decline in AAPS scores than did their male counterparts in all classes and the AAPS scores were always higher for female students at the end of the course. Future research should contemplate how this novel finding may be effectively exploited to develop and implement curricula and pedagogies to reduce the gender gap in performance often observed in introductory physics.

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Large-scale studies on the transferability of general problem-solving skills and the pedagogic potential of physics

Cited by 11 publications

References 21 publications

Teaching and Learning Bucket Model: Experimented with Mechanics Baseline Test

Teaching and Learning Bucket Model: Experimented with Mechanics Baseline Test

Instructional Pragmatism: Using a variety of evidence-based approaches flexibly to improve learning

Impact of traditional or evidence-based active-engagement instruction on introductory female and male students’ attitudes and approaches to physics problem solving

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