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Visual understanding of divergence and curl: Visual cues promote better learning
written by Pascal Klein, Jouni Viiri, and Jochen Kuhn
Prior research has shown that students struggle to indicate whether vector field plots have zero or non-zero curl or divergence. In an instruction-based eye-tracking study, we investigated whether visual cues (VC) provided in the vector field plot can foster students' understanding of these concepts. The VC were only present during instruction and highlighted conceptual information about vector decomposition and partial derivatives.

Thirty-two physics majors were assigned to two groups, one was instructed with VC about the problem-solving strategy, and one without. The results show that students in VC-condition performed better, responded with higher confidence, experienced less mental effort, and rated the instructional quality better than students instructed without cues. All results were statistically significant. Furthermore, VC-students performed better on a transfer task about the curl concept. The superior performance of students in VC-condition can be attributed to saccadic eye-movements which are in line by correct application of the visual strategy and which were supported by the visual cues. The outcomes strongly confirm multimedia design principles and reveal a direct link between processing explicit instructions and its application in subsequent tasks in the domain of problem solving.
Physics Education Research Conference 2018
Part of the PER Conference series
Washington, DC: August 1-2, 2018
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education - Applied Research
- Instructional Material Design
- Technology
Education - Basic Research
- Behavior
- Problem Solving
= Representational Use
Mathematical Tools
- Vector Calculus
= Curl
= Divergence
- Lower Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Research study
PER-Central Type Intended Users Ratings
- PER Literature
- Researchers
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Format:
application/pdf
Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2018…
Access Rights:
Free access
License:
This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the published article's author(s), title, proceedings citation, and DOI.
Rights Holder:
American Association of Physics Teachers
DOI:
10.1119/perc.2018.pr.Klein
Keyword:
PERC 2018
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created December 31, 2018 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
December 31, 2018 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
December 31, 2018
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Record Link
AIP Format
P. Klein, J. Viiri, and J. Kuhn, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2018, Washington, DC, 2018, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14808&DocID=4955).
AJP/PRST-PER
P. Klein, J. Viiri, and J. Kuhn, Visual understanding of divergence and curl: Visual cues promote better learning, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2018, Washington, DC, 2018, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14808&DocID=4955>.
APA Format
Klein, P., Viiri, J., & Kuhn, J. (2018, August 1-2). Visual understanding of divergence and curl: Visual cues promote better learning. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2018, Washington, DC. Retrieved December 10, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14808&DocID=4955
Chicago Format
Klein, P, J. Viiri, and J. Kuhn. "Visual understanding of divergence and curl: Visual cues promote better learning." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2018, Washington, DC, August 1-2, 2018. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14808&DocID=4955 (accessed 10 December 2024).
MLA Format
Klein, Pascal, Jouni Viiri, and Jochen Kuhn. "Visual understanding of divergence and curl: Visual cues promote better learning." Physics Education Research Conference 2018. Washington, DC: 2018. of PER Conference. 10 Dec. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14808&DocID=4955>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Pascal Klein and Jouni Viiri and Jochen Kuhn", Title = {Visual understanding of divergence and curl: Visual cues promote better learning}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2018}, Address = {Washington, DC}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {August 1-2}, Year = {2018} }
Refer Export Format

%A Pascal Klein %A Jouni Viiri %A Jochen Kuhn %T Visual understanding of divergence and curl: Visual cues promote better learning %S PER Conference %D August 1-2 2018 %C Washington, DC %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14808&DocID=4955 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2018 %O August 1-2 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Klein, Pascal %A Viiri, Jouni %A Kuhn, Jochen %D August 1-2 2018 %T Visual understanding of divergence and curl: Visual cues promote better learning %B Physics Education Research Conference 2018 %C Washington, DC %S PER Conference %8 August 1-2 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14808&DocID=4955


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