PERC 2021 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Supporting and Studying Introductory Physics Students’ Algebra Skills with Solve-It |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Students in algebra-based introductory physics often struggle with foundational algebra skills, such as manipulating equations to solve for a particular variable. Instructors aim to help students develop these skills, but constraints on time and curriculum limit these opportunities. How can we support students in developing these algebra skills in a physics class? To address this question, we have developed Solve-It, a choice-based assessment (Schwartz & Arena, 2013) that allows us to simultaneously support and study students' algebra skills development. In Solve-It, students choose what operations to apply to an equation to solve for the relevant variable, getting visual feedback on their progress toward a solution. We report on a pilot study in which undergraduate students in two sections of introductory physics (N~60) used Solve-It during the semester. We analyze logfiles of students' choices within Solve-It and their correlations with pre-post gains on a survey of algebra skills to look for evidence of learning during the semester. In particular we corroborate pre-post survey data with logfile analysis to examine whether some students learned how to "undo" a misstep by applying the inverse operation. |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
| Session Time: | Poster Session 1 Room A |
| Poster Number: | 1A-10 |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Luke Conlin Salem State University Salem, MA 01970 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Tristan Casey, Salem State University Sarah Meninger, Salem State University |
