PERC 2020 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Investigating Similarities and Differences across Unprompted and Prompted Student-generated Diagrams |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Diagrams in physics communicate ideas and can aid in problem solving. Many researchers have explored student use of professional representations in physics, however characterizing spontaneously-generated diagrams from student problem solving has proven difficult. Using data from problem-solving interviews with undergraduate and graduate physics majors, we compare unprompted and prompted student-generated diagrams across six physical contexts. Informed by the distributed cognition and resources frameworks, we explore how extensively students spontaneously externalize physical details during problem solving as well as which diagramming resources students employ in different settings. We found that, overall, students correctly answered questions if they could generate accurate diagrams in a particular physical context, regardless of the extent to which they did so (without prompting) during problem solving. This finding, and our subsequent in-depth qualitative analysis across the six physical contexts, can help instructors create alignment between their learning goals, instruction, and assessment regarding diagrams in physics. |
| Abstract Type: | Juried Talk |
| Parallel Session: | Juried Talks III |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Michael Vignal University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Bethany R. Wilcox, University of Colorado Boulder |
