Using Electronic Interviews to Explore Student Understanding

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written by Doris J. Wagner, Janet J. Rivera, Frances Mateycik, and Sybillyn Jennings

This paper reports on methods used to probe student understandings of optical fibers and total internal reflection (TIR). The study was conducted as part of the expansion and improvement of web-based materials for an innovative introductory physics course. Initially, we conducted face-to-face Piaget-style interviews with a convenience sample. Our next step was to interview students taking the course at Rensselaer. Physical limitations necessitated that this be done from a distance, so we conducted "e-interviews" using a Chat Room. In this paper we focus on the e-interview experience, discussing similarities to and differences from the traditional face-to-face approach. In the process, we address how each method informs us about students' activation of prior experiences in making sense of unfamiliar phenomena (e.g., "transfer of learning").

Physics Education Research Conference 2004
Part of the PER Conference series
Sacramento, California: August 4-5, 2004
Volume 790, Pages 201-204

download 140kb .pdf
Published: September 1, 2005

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Education - Applied Research - Instructional Material Design Optics - Geometrical Optics = Optical Instruments = Total Internal Reflection	- Lower Undergraduate - Graduate/Professional	- Reference Material = Report = Research study

PER-Central Type	Intended Users	Ratings
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Formats:: application/pdf
non-digital
Mirror:: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2084736
Access Rights:: Available by subscription and
Available for purchase
Restriction:: © 2004 American Institute of Physics
DOI:: 10.1063/1.2084736
NSF Number:: 0089399
PACSs:: 01.40.Fk; 42.81.-i; 01.50.Ht
Keywords:: PERC 2004, educational aids, educational courses, information resources, optical fibers, reflection
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created October 22, 2009 by Alea Smith
Record Updated:: July 8, 2013 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: September 16, 2005

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=9569">Wagner, D, J. Rivera, F. Mateycik, and S. Jennings. "Using Electronic Interviews to Explore Student Understanding." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, August 4-5, 2004.</a>

AIP Format

D. Wagner, J. Rivera, F. Mateycik, and S. Jennings, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, 2004, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9569&DocID=3458).

AJP/PRST-PER

D. Wagner, J. Rivera, F. Mateycik, and S. Jennings, Using Electronic Interviews to Explore Student Understanding, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, 2004, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9569&DocID=3458>.

APA Format

Wagner, D., Rivera, J., Mateycik, F., & Jennings, S. (2004, August 4-5). Using Electronic Interviews to Explore Student Understanding. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California. Retrieved January 17, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9569&DocID=3458

Chicago Format

Wagner, D, J. Rivera, F. Mateycik, and S. Jennings. "Using Electronic Interviews to Explore Student Understanding." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, August 4-5, 2004. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9569&DocID=3458 (accessed 17 January 2025).

MLA Format

Wagner, Doris J., Janet J. Rivera, Frances Mateycik, and Sybillyn Jennings. "Using Electronic Interviews to Explore Student Understanding." Physics Education Research Conference 2004. Sacramento, California: 2004. 201-204 Vol. 790 of PER Conference. 17 Jan. 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9569&DocID=3458>.

BibTeX Export Format

@inproceedings{ Author = "Doris J. Wagner and Janet J. Rivera and Frances Mateycik and Sybillyn Jennings", Title = {Using Electronic Interviews to Explore Student Understanding}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2004}, Pages = {201-204}, Address = {Sacramento, California}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {790}, Month = {August 4-5}, Year = {2004} }

Refer Export Format

%A Doris J. Wagner %A Janet J. Rivera %A Frances Mateycik %A Sybillyn Jennings %T Using Electronic Interviews to Explore Student Understanding %S PER Conference %V 790 %D August 4-5 2004 %P 201-204 %C Sacramento, California %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9569&DocID=3458 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2004 %O August 4-5 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Wagner, Doris J. %A Rivera, Janet J. %A Mateycik, Frances %A Jennings, Sybillyn %D August 4-5 2004 %T Using Electronic Interviews to Explore Student Understanding %B Physics Education Research Conference 2004 %C Sacramento, California %V 790 %P 201-204 %S PER Conference %8 August 4-5 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9569&DocID=3458

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Citation Source Information

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.