Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations

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written by Joel Van Deventer and Michael C. Wittmann

Research has shown that students have difficulties with vectors in college introductory physics courses and high school physics courses; furthermore, students have been shown to perform worse on a vector task with a physical context when compared to the same task in a mathematical context. We have used these results to design isomorphic mathematics and physics free-response vector test questions to evaluate student understanding of vectors in both contexts. To validate our test, we carried out task-based interviews with introductory physics students. We used our results to develop a multiple-choice version of the vector test which was then administered to introductory physics students. We report on our test, giving examples of questions and preliminary findings.

Physics Education Research Conference 2007
Part of the PER Conference series
Greensboro, NC: August 1-2, 2007
Volume 951, Pages 208-211

download 420kb .pdf
Published: November 12, 2007

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Education - Basic Research - Alternative Conceptions - Assessment = Instruments - Problem Solving = Representational Use - Student Characteristics = Skills Mathematical Tools - Vector Algebra	- Lower Undergraduate	- Reference Material = Research study

PER-Central Type	Intended Users	Ratings
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Format:: application/pdf
Mirror:: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2820935
Access Rights:: Limited free access and
Available by subscription and
Available for purchase
Restriction:: © 2007 2007 American Institute of Physics.
DOI:: 10.1063/1.2820935
NSF Numbers:: 0441426; 0442388; 0633951
PACSs:: 01.40.Fk; 01.40.Di; 01.40.gb
Keywords:: PERC 2007, educational courses, physics, student experiments, vector representations, vector test
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created June 10, 2009 by Jenny Rempel
Record Updated:: July 16, 2013 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: November 12, 2007
Other Collections:: The PSRC

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=9110">Van Deventer, Joel, and Michael Wittmann. "Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2007, Greensboro, NC, August 1-2, 2007.</a>

AIP Format

J. Van Deventer and M. Wittmann, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2007, Greensboro, NC, 2007, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9110&DocID=2023).

AJP/PRST-PER

J. Van Deventer and M. Wittmann, Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2007, Greensboro, NC, 2007, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9110&DocID=2023>.

APA Format

Van Deventer, J., & Wittmann, M. (2007, August 1-2). Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2007, Greensboro, NC. Retrieved December 10, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9110&DocID=2023

Chicago Format

Van Deventer, Joel, and Michael Wittmann. "Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2007, Greensboro, NC, August 1-2, 2007. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9110&DocID=2023 (accessed 10 December 2024).

MLA Format

Van Deventer, Joel, and Michael Wittmann. "Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations." Physics Education Research Conference 2007. Greensboro, NC: 2007. 208-211 Vol. 951 of PER Conference. 10 Dec. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9110&DocID=2023>.

BibTeX Export Format

@inproceedings{ Author = "Joel Van Deventer and Michael Wittmann", Title = {Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2007}, Pages = {208-211}, Address = {Greensboro, NC}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {951}, Month = {August 1-2}, Year = {2007} }

Refer Export Format

%A Joel Van Deventer %A Michael Wittmann %T Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations %S PER Conference %V 951 %D August 1-2 2007 %P 208-211 %C Greensboro, NC %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9110&DocID=2023 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2007 %O August 1-2 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Van Deventer, Joel %A Wittmann, Michael %D August 1-2 2007 %T Comparing Student Use of Mathematical and Physical Vector Representations %B Physics Education Research Conference 2007 %C Greensboro, NC %V 951 %P 208-211 %S PER Conference %8 August 1-2 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9110&DocID=2023

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