PERC 2009 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Identifying Student Difficulties with Pressure in a Fluid |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | This study is part of an effort to develop an FCI-style diagnostic test assessing student understanding of fluids. In particular, this poster addresses questions which involve pressure, one of which is modified from McDermott's Tutorials. This particular question, which asks students to rank pressures in an N-shaped tube and explain their reasoning, has been administered to hundreds of students in three different introductory courses at Grove City College for the past six years. As might have been expected, students have provided a seemingly endless range of answers. We have sorted the responses into categories relating to similar interpretations of the question. We are using the commonly-occurring difficulties to develop a series of multiple-choice questions which probe the various facets of student understanding of pressure. By analyzing the data from the resulting questions, instructors will be able to tailor instruction to address the identified difficulties. |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Adam Moyer Grove City College Box 218 200 Campus Drive Grove City, PA 16127 Phone: 724 548 8479 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Sam Cohen Grove City College cohensj1 -at- gcc.edu DJ Wagner Grove City College djwagner -at- gcc.edu |
