Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course

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written by Michael E. Loverude

As part of ongoing research on student understanding in upper-division thermal physics, we developed a number of simple diagnostic questions designed to probe understanding of basic probability concepts. Preliminary results showed that many students had difficulty in distinguishing the concepts of microstate and macrostate, and in applying mathematical relationships for multiplicity of simple systems. We have tested a tutorial sequence designed to address some of the difficulties. We will summarize previous results, show post-test results from the target courses, and describe aspects of the tutorial sequence that are likely in need of modification.

Physics Education Research Conference 2009
Part of the PER Conference series
Ann Arbor, Michigan: July 29-30, 2009
Volume 1179, Pages 189-192

download 186kb .pdf
Published: November 11, 2009

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Education - Applied Research - Instructional Material Design = Tutorial Thermo & Stat Mech - Ensembles = Macrostate = Microstate - Probability	- Upper Undergraduate - Lower Undergraduate	- Instructional Material = Tutorial - Reference Material = Research study

PER-Central Type	Intended Users	Ratings
- PER Literature	- Researchers - Educators	Currently 5.0/5 Rated 5.0 stars by 1 person Want to rate this material? Login here!

Formats:: application/pdf
non-digital
Mirror:: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3266711
Access Rights:: Limited free access and
Available for purchase; A preprint of the work is available. A hard copy of the PERC 2009 proceedings is also available.
Restriction:: © 2009 American Institute of Physics
DOI:: 10.1063/1.3266711
NSF Number:: 0817335
PACSs:: 01.40.-d; 02.50.Cw; 02.10.Yn
Keywords:: PERC 2009, Probability, Statistical Physics, Student Understanding, Thermal Physics
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created October 2, 2009 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:: July 21, 2011 by Harvey Gould
Last Update when Cataloged:: November 11, 2009
Other Collections:: The Statistical and Thermal Physics

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=9446">Loverude, Michael. "Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 29-30, 2009.</a>

AIP Format

M. Loverude, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9446&DocID=1320).

AJP/PRST-PER

M. Loverude, Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9446&DocID=1320>.

APA Format

Loverude, M. (2009, July 29-30). Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Retrieved October 12, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9446&DocID=1320

Chicago Format

Loverude, Michael. "Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 29-30, 2009. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9446&DocID=1320 (accessed 12 October 2024).

MLA Format

Loverude, Michael. "Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course." Physics Education Research Conference 2009. Ann Arbor, Michigan: 2009. 189-192 Vol. 1179 of PER Conference. 12 Oct. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9446&DocID=1320>.

BibTeX Export Format

@inproceedings{ Author = "Michael Loverude", Title = {Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2009}, Pages = {189-192}, Address = {Ann Arbor, Michigan}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {1179}, Month = {July 29-30}, Year = {2009} }

Refer Export Format

%A Michael Loverude %T Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course %S PER Conference %V 1179 %D July 29-30 2009 %P 189-192 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9446&DocID=1320 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %O July 29-30 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Loverude, Michael %D July 29-30 2009 %T Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course %B Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %V 1179 %P 189-192 %S PER Conference %8 July 29-30 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9446&DocID=1320

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The AJP/PRST-PER presented is based on the AIP Style with the addition of journal article titles and conference proceeding article titles.

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