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Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work
Previous studies have reported that students employed different problem solving approaches when presented with the same task structured with different representations. In this study, we explored and compared students' strategies as they attempted tasks from two topical areas, kinematics and work. Our participants were 19 engineering students taking a calculus-based physics course. The tasks were presented in linguistic, graphical, and symbolic forms and requested either a qualitative solution or a value. The analysis was both qualitative and quantitative in nature focusing principally on the characteristics of the strategies employed as well as the underlying reasoning for their applications. A comparison was also made for the same student's approach with the same kind of representation across the two topics. Additionally, the participants' overall strategies across the different tasks, in each topic, were considered. On the whole, we found that the students prefer manipulating equations irrespective of the representational format of the task. They rarely recognized the applicability of a "qualitative" approach to solve the problem although they were aware of the concepts involved. Even when the students included visual representations in their solutions, they seldom used these representations in conjunction with the mathematical part of the problem. Additionally, the students were not consistent in their approach for interpreting and solving problems with the same kind of representation across the two topical areas. The representational format, level of prior knowledge, and familiarity with a topic appeared to influence their strategies, their written responses, and their ability to recognize qualitative ways to attempt a problem. The nature of the solution does not seem to impact the strategies employed to handle the problem.
Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research: Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 010126
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Record Link
<a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=12084">Ibrahim, Bashirah, and N. Sanjay Rebello. "Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work." Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8, no. 1, (June 14, 2012): 010126.</a>
AIP Format
B. Ibrahim and N. Rebello, , Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8 (1), 010126 (2012), WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12084&DocID=2973).
AJP/PRST-PER
B. Ibrahim and N. Rebello, Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8 (1), 010126 (2012), <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12084&DocID=2973>.
APA Format
Ibrahim, B., & Rebello, N. (2012, June 14). Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work. Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res., 8(1), 010126. Retrieved December 14, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12084&DocID=2973
Chicago Format
Ibrahim, Bashirah, and N. Sanjay Rebello. "Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work." Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8, no. 1, (June 14, 2012): 010126, https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12084&DocID=2973 (accessed 14 December 2024).
MLA Format
Ibrahim, Bashirah, and N. Sanjay Rebello. "Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work." Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8.1 (2012): 010126. 14 Dec. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12084&DocID=2973>.
BibTeX Export Format
@article{
Author = "Bashirah Ibrahim and N. Sanjay Rebello",
Title = {Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work},
Journal = {Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res.},
Volume = {8},
Number = {1},
Pages = {010126},
Month = {June},
Year = {2012}
}
Refer Export Format
%A Bashirah Ibrahim %A N. Sanjay Rebello %T Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work %J Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. %V 8 %N 1 %D June 14, 2012 %P 010126 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12084&DocID=2973 %O application/pdf
EndNote Export Format
%0 Journal Article %A Ibrahim, Bashirah %A Rebello, N. Sanjay %D June 14, 2012 %T Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work %J Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. %V 8 %N 1 %P 010126 %8 June 14, 2012 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12084&DocID=2973 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
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The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual. The AJP/PRST-PER presented is based on the AIP Style with the addition of journal article titles and conference proceeding article titles. The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References. The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation. The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ. This resource is stored in a shared folder. You must login to access shared folders. |
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