A considerable body of research exists on women in leadership and likewise, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields. However, the intersection two is terra incognita: STEM. At most fundamental level, we do not even have a solid idea how many hold positions This study determined proportion several academic areas via sampling institutions across United States. In every area studied, held fewer than female PhDs those The non-STEM specific top roles was also examined to see...

Students in an upper‐level thermal physics course were asked to compare quantities related the First Law of Thermodynamics along with similar mathematical questions devoid all physical context. We report on a comparison student responses involving interpretation ideal gas processes P‐V diagrams and analogous qualitative about signs comparisons between magnitudes various integrals. Student performance individual combined paired shows evidence isolated understanding mathematics. Some...

Adoption of clickers by faculty has spread campus‐wide at the University Colorado Boulder from one introductory physics course in 2001 to 19 departments, 80 courses, and over 10,000 students. We study common pedagogical practices among attitudes beliefs student clicker‐users across campus. report data online surveys given both students Spring 2007 semester. Additionally, we on correlations between perceptions clicker use ways which this educational tool is used faculty. These suggest for...

Women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are under-represented, women also less likely than men to be leadership positions, generally. Little is known about the intersection of these areas: STEM. To determine what sort barriers assistance female STEM leaders have encountered, a survey was developed asking who academic positions their experiences. The main were similar area leadership: balancing work/home life, devaluing achievements, imposter syndrome. two...

Research has shown that students have difficulties with vectors in college introductory physics courses and high school courses; furthermore, been to perform worse on a vector task physical context when compared the same mathematical context. We used these results design isomorphic mathematics free‐response test questions evaluate student understanding of both contexts. To validate our test, we carried out task‐based interviews students. develop multiple‐choice version which was then...

The physics community has been concerned about low participation by women for many years. Although some progress made, the percentage of in undergraduate is less than half that mathematics and chemistry. authors conducted site visits to nine departments, five with high four are typical national average, learn "what works" attracting retaining as majors. results show friendly informal relationships between faculty members students crucial. These counterproductive, however, when transgress...

The physics community has been concerned about low participation by women for many years. Progress made, but the percentage of in undergraduate is still less than half that mathematics and chemistry. To learn “what works” attracting retaining major, authors conducted site visits to nine departments compared those with high are typical national average. This article details first results research, showing a strong, inclusive, female-friendly department culture like fabric woven on loom. No...

Views Icon Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Twitter Facebook Reddit LinkedIn Tools Reprints and Permissions Cite Search Site Citation Patrick B. Kohl, Noah D. Finkelstein; Expert Novice Use of Multiple Representations During Physics Problem Solving. AIP Conf. Proc. 12 November 2007; 951 (1): 132–135. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2820914 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks...

As part of an ongoing project to understand how mathematics is used in advanced physics guide one's conceptual understanding physics, we focus on students' interpretation and use boundary initial conditions when solving integrals. We discuss interaction between two students working a group quiz problem. After describing the interaction, briefly procedural resources that model solutions. then introduced earlier draw graphs epistemic game facets by our transcript.

We investigate the dynamics of student behaviors (posture, gesture, vocal register, visual focus) and substance their reasoning during collaborative work on inquiry‐based physics tutorials. Scherr has characterized activity tutorials as observable clusters separated by sharp transitions, argued that these behavioral modes reflect students' epistemological framing what they are doing, i.e., sense is taking place with respect to knowledge. analyze verbal several tutorial sessions using...

We examine the difficulties that introductory physics students, undergraduate majors, and graduate students have with concepts related to conductors insulators covered in by giving written tests interviewing a subset of students. find even serious these concepts. develop tutorials topics evaluate their effectiveness comparing performance on pre‐/post‐tests interviews who received traditional instruction vs. those learned using tutorials.

Views Icon Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Twitter Facebook Reddit LinkedIn Tools Reprints and Permissions Cite Search Site Citation Chandralekha Singh, Edit Yerushalmi, Bat Sheva Eylon; Physics Learning in the Context of Scaffolded Diagnostic Tasks (II): Preliminary Results. AIP Conf. Proc. 12 November 2007; 951 (1): 31–34. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2820939 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley...

One important aspect of physics instruction is helping students develop better problem solving expertise. Besides enhancing the content knowledge, problems help different cognitive abilities and skills. This paper focuses on ill‐structured problems. These are from traditional "end chapter" well‐structured They do not have one right answer thus student has to examine possibilities, assumptions evaluate outcomes. To solve such engage in a monitoring called epistemic cognition. It an part...

Research in cognitive science has shown that students typically have a difficult time acquiring deep conceptual understanding domains like mathematics and physics often rely on textbook examples to solve new problems. The use of prior facilitates learning, but the advantage is limited very similar One reason so heavily using they lack for how principles are instantiated examples. We review present research aimed at helping learn relations between through generating explanations making analogies.

Human cognition cannot be properly understood if we do not take the use of tools into account. The English word stems from Latin "cognoscere," meaning "to become acquainted with" or come to know." Following original should only study "what happens in head" want cognition. Experientially based perspectives, such as pragmatism, phenomenology, phenomenography, and activity theory, stress that person‐world relationships. Technologies actively shape character human‐world An emergent understanding...

This paper is part of an ongoing investigation how students use and understand mathematics in introductory physics. Our previous research [1] revealed that differences score as large 50% can be observed between numeric symbolic versions the same question. We have expanded our study to include 10 pairs questions on a calculus based physics final exam. find not all problems exhibit such cases where difference largest occurs for poorest students. With these we been able develop phenomenological...

An important finding of Physics Education Research (PER) is that traditional, transmission‐based instructional approaches are generally not effective in promoting meaningful student learning. Instead, PER advocates physics be taught using more interactive methods. Although the research base and corresponding pedagogies strategies well‐documented widely available to faculty, widespread change teaching at college level has yet occur. Since 1996, Workshop for New Astronomy Faculty been working...

This paper is the first in a series of three describing controlled study "Transfer scientific abilities". The was conducted large enrollment student introductory physics course taught via Investigative Science Learning Environment. Its goal to find whether designing their own experiments labs affects students' approaches experimental problem solving new areas and biology, learning concepts. theoretical framework for design based on transfer theories such as "preparation future learning",...

For problem solving to serve as an effective learning opportunity, it should involve deliberate reflection, e.g., planning and evaluating the solver's progress toward a solution, well self‐diagnosing former steps while elaborating on conceptual understanding. While expert solvers employ novices (many introductory physics students) fail take full advantage of opportunity. In this paper we will focus self‐diagnosis instructional strategy engage students in reflective solving. tasks are...

Column Editor's note: Laura McCullough teaches physics at the University of Wisconsin—Stout. She has a Ph.D. in science education and conducts research on gender issues physics. I was impressed with her passion for this issue when heard speak an AAPT session several years ago, think you will agree that insights she shares here can help all us to ensure equity students we teach.