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Abstract Title: Dynamics of students’ ontological reasoning across modalities and contexts in modern physics
Abstract: Students' organizational structures of knowledge about entities like photons and electrons (or their ontologies) influence their learning of quantum phenomena. In prior work we have described different types of dynamic ontologies (blended, parallel, and fixed) seen in collective student reasoning; here we extend this analysis to other modalities--written and multiple choice responses to Modern Physics homework, exam, and survey questions about canonical quantum mechanics topics. We examine students' patterns of use of ontological structures by entity (e.g., photon or electron) and topic area (double slit, Mach-Zehnder interferometer, and tunneling). We also characterize the pedagogical and curricular prompts and their impacts on students' ontological reasoning.
Abstract Type: Contributed Poster Presentation
Session Time: Poster Session III
Poster Number: C33
Contributed Paper Record: Contributed Paper Information
Contributed Paper Download: Download Contributed Paper

Author/Organizer Information

Primary Contact: Jessica R. Hoehn
University of Colorado Boulder
Co-Author(s)
and Co-Presenter(s)
Julian D. Gifford (University of Colorado Boulder)
Noah D. Finkelstein (University of Colorado Boulder)

Contributed Poster

Contributed Poster: Download the Contributed Poster