Formal modelling in an introductory college physics course
Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2000. Education Bibliography: leaves 106-108 Many science education researchers suggest that students taking introductory physics courses should emulate the behaviour of professional scientists by learning to construct (and use) formal models. Lar...
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ftmemorialunivdc:oai:collections.mun.ca:theses3/91030 2023-05-15T17:23:32+02:00 Formal modelling in an introductory college physics course Woolridge, David K., 1968- Memorial University of Newfoundland. Faculty of Education 2000 vii, 148 leaves : ill. Image/jpeg; Application/pdf http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses3/id/91030 eng eng Electronic Theses and Dissertations (14.76 MB) -- http://collections.mun.ca/PDFs/theses/Woolridge_DavidK.pdf a1493223 http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses3/id/91030 The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Paper copy kept in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University Libraries Physics--Computer simulation--Study and teaching (Higher) Physics--Computer-assisted instruction Text Electronic thesis or dissertation 2000 ftmemorialunivdc 2015-08-06T19:18:45Z Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2000. Education Bibliography: leaves 106-108 Many science education researchers suggest that students taking introductory physics courses should emulate the behaviour of professional scientists by learning to construct (and use) formal models. Largely this research has been done at the high school level. I believe that this approach must also be tested at the college level for two reasons. First, many college students may never have done a physics course before. Second, those who have probably did not learn via modeling but by a less sophisticated method. The result is that neither student is distinguishable on a conceptual test about the nature of the physical world. The main goal of my research is to determine the feasibility of the high school modeling method proposed by Hestenes and Wells when the approach is applied to a technical college's introductory mechanics course. During the fall and winter of 1997 and 1998 I trained a young physics instructor in this method. During that time I monitored his efforts with fresh and repeating students in the same course. In the fall of 1998 I repeated the study with fresh students of my own. The conceptual gains of both groups were cross-referenced and then checked with a non modeling control. My results showed that modelling did significantly improve conceptual understanding of the Newtonian world. However, the prescribed method is not practical given the time and content constraints of the typical college level course. Thesis Newfoundland studies University of Newfoundland Memorial University of Newfoundland: Digital Archives Initiative (DAI) |
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Memorial University of Newfoundland: Digital Archives Initiative (DAI) |
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ftmemorialunivdc |
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English |
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Physics--Computer simulation--Study and teaching (Higher) Physics--Computer-assisted instruction |
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Physics--Computer simulation--Study and teaching (Higher) Physics--Computer-assisted instruction Woolridge, David K., 1968- Formal modelling in an introductory college physics course |
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Physics--Computer simulation--Study and teaching (Higher) Physics--Computer-assisted instruction |
description |
Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2000. Education Bibliography: leaves 106-108 Many science education researchers suggest that students taking introductory physics courses should emulate the behaviour of professional scientists by learning to construct (and use) formal models. Largely this research has been done at the high school level. I believe that this approach must also be tested at the college level for two reasons. First, many college students may never have done a physics course before. Second, those who have probably did not learn via modeling but by a less sophisticated method. The result is that neither student is distinguishable on a conceptual test about the nature of the physical world. The main goal of my research is to determine the feasibility of the high school modeling method proposed by Hestenes and Wells when the approach is applied to a technical college's introductory mechanics course. During the fall and winter of 1997 and 1998 I trained a young physics instructor in this method. During that time I monitored his efforts with fresh and repeating students in the same course. In the fall of 1998 I repeated the study with fresh students of my own. The conceptual gains of both groups were cross-referenced and then checked with a non modeling control. My results showed that modelling did significantly improve conceptual understanding of the Newtonian world. However, the prescribed method is not practical given the time and content constraints of the typical college level course. |
author2 |
Memorial University of Newfoundland. Faculty of Education |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Woolridge, David K., 1968- |
author_facet |
Woolridge, David K., 1968- |
author_sort |
Woolridge, David K., 1968- |
title |
Formal modelling in an introductory college physics course |
title_short |
Formal modelling in an introductory college physics course |
title_full |
Formal modelling in an introductory college physics course |
title_fullStr |
Formal modelling in an introductory college physics course |
title_full_unstemmed |
Formal modelling in an introductory college physics course |
title_sort |
formal modelling in an introductory college physics course |
publishDate |
2000 |
url |
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses3/id/91030 |
genre |
Newfoundland studies University of Newfoundland |
genre_facet |
Newfoundland studies University of Newfoundland |
op_source |
Paper copy kept in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University Libraries |
op_relation |
Electronic Theses and Dissertations (14.76 MB) -- http://collections.mun.ca/PDFs/theses/Woolridge_DavidK.pdf a1493223 http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses3/id/91030 |
op_rights |
The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. |
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