PERC 2016 Abstract Detail Page
Previous Page | New Search | Browse All
| Abstract Title: | Contextualizing problem-solving strategies in physics-intensive PhD research |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Problem-solving strategies physics undergraduates learn should prepare them for real-world contexts as they transition from novices to experts. Yet, graduate students in physics-intensive research face problems that go beyond "problem sets" they experienced as undergraduates and are solved by different strategies than are typically learned in undergraduate coursework. We conducted semi-structured interviews with ten graduate students to determine problem-solving strategies they found useful in their research. We coded these interviews using emergent and grounded theory approaches. Our findings explore problem-solving strategies (e.g., planning ahead, breaking down problems, evaluating options), contexts (e.g., designing software and troubleshooting equipment), and characteristics of successful problem-solvers (e.g., initiative, persistence, and motivation). Graduate students also relied on representations such as test cases, approximations, and simulations in their problem-solving process. Understanding problem-solving strategies, contexts, and characteristics has implications for how we approach problem-solving in undergraduate physics and physics education research. |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Anne E. Leak Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY 14623 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Jarrett Vosburg, Kelly Norris Martin, Javier Olivera, Benjamin M. Zwickl |
Contributed Poster | |
| Contributed Poster: | Download the Contributed Poster |
