Most research focusing on student ideas about electric current frames these ideas as misconceptions, difficulties, and misunderstandings. This paper reports student resources for understanding electric current: ideas that we consider to be the beginnings of a scientific understanding. Here, we present three conceptual resources for understanding electric current based on our analysis of 550 written responses to conceptual circuits questions from introductory-level university physics students. Our aim is to offer knowledge that can support physics instructors in identifying and building on these resources during instruction.

Identifying student conceptual resources for understanding electric current

Past research suggests that students’ epistemological framing affects their learning of physics content. In this talk, we will investigate this idea in the context of resource-oriented instructional materials. Resource-oriented instructional materials aim to elicit and build from student resources for understanding physics -- context-dependent “pieces of knowledge” which can be leveraged to develop sophisticated scientific understandings. We will explore a case in which students’ epistemological framing affects their experience of our resources-oriented instructional materials and discuss implications for instructional design.

Student Frustration with Resources-Oriented Instruction: A Sociocultural Lens

Poster Session III

poster

Join us in exploring emergent themes in PER as a scholarly endeavor and as a research community!  Since its inception, PER has served as a confluence of discipline, theory, research methodology, practice, and application.  How have these facets and the interplays among them been fruitful for physics education globally, regionally, locally, or otherwise?  And, how have our successes and interactions influenced the very nature of PER itself?
Following the lead of AAPT for the summer meeting, PERC 20/20 was virtual. Enjoy browsing the content.

PERC SM 20

Since its inception, PER has served as a confluence of discipline, theory, research methodology, practice, and application.  How have these facets and the interplays among them been fruitful for physics education globally, regionally, locally, or otherwise?  And, how have our successes and interactions influenced the very nature of PER itself?

PAR-D.06  PER Curriculum and Instruction II

technical paper

The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. The program featured plenary speakers, sessions, workshops and many special activities.

For more information please visit the 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting page at: https://www.aapt.org/Conferences/SM2020/index.cfm.


AAPT SM 20

The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. 

Lauren Bauman

3

SHORT BIO

Presentations

Identifying student conceptual resources for understanding electric current

Student Frustration with Resources-Oriented Instruction: A Sociocultural Lens

Identifying student conceptual resources for understanding electric current

Stay up to date with the latest Underline news!

PRESENTATIONS

CONFERENCES

COMPANY

RESOURCES