Epistemic complexity and the journeyman-expert transition
Thomas J. Bing and Edward F. Redish
Physics students can encounter difficulties in physics problem solving as a result of failing to use knowledge that they have but do not perceive as relevant or appropriate. In previous work we have demonstrated that some of these difficulties may be epistemological. Students may limit the kinds of ... [Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8, 010105 ] published .
Introduction to this special section: Carbonate research in China
Yang Liu and Enru Liu
Carbonate reservoirs in western China have tremendous potential and are the key area for oil and gas exploration in that country. Compared to conventional carbonate reservoirs, discovering and characterizing this kind of reservoir is much more difficult and presents significant challenges. Solutions ... [The Leading Edge 31, 138 (2012)] published Fri Feb 10, 2012.
Applying beliefs and resources frameworks to the psychometric analyses of an epistemology survey
Sevda Yerdelen-Damar, Andrew Elby, and Ali Eryilmaz
This study explored how researchers' views about the form of students' epistemologies influence how the researchers develop and refine surveys and how they interpret survey results. After running standard statistical analyses on 505 physics students' responses to the Turkish version of the Maryland ... [Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8, 010104 ] published .
Controlled study on the effectiveness of multimedia learning modules for teaching mechanics
Homeyra R. Sadaghiani
We have investigated the impact of using multimedia learning modules (MLM) on the learning of students enrolled in introductory physics courses at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. One hundred fifty-nine students were randomly registered in two sections of an introductory mechanics co ... [Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8, 010103 ] published .
A Study of General Education Astronomy Students' Understandings of Cosmology. Part IV. Common Difficulties Students Experience with Cosmology
Colin S. Wallace, Edward E. Prather, and Douglas K. Duncan
This is our fourth paper in our five paper series describing our national study of general education astronomy students' conceptual and reasoning difficulties with cosmology. While previous papers in this series focused on the processes by which we collected and quantitatively analyzed our data, thi ... [AER 11, 010104 (2012)] published Thu Feb 2, 2012.
A Study of General Education Astronomy Students' Understandings of Cosmology. Part III. Evaluating Four Conceptual Cosmology Surveys: An Item Response Theory Approach
Colin S. Wallace, Edward E. Prather, and Douglas K. Duncan
This is the third of five papers detailing our national study of general education astronomy students' conceptual and reasoning difficulties with cosmology. In this paper, we use item response theory to analyze students' responses to three out of the four conceptual cosmology surveys we developed. T ... [AER 11, 010103 (2012)] published Thu Feb 2, 2012.
Motivation, Awareness, and Perceptions of Computational Science
Alejandra J. Magana and Jyoti I. Mathur
To meet the urgent need for a well-prepared CS&E workforce, we must better understand how students perceive the field. ... [Comput. Sci. Eng. 14, 74 (2012)] published Tue Jan 31, 2012.
Of Art and CS Education
Isabel Beichl
The "incomplete" education of many of computing's most inventive thinkers is more akin to artists, where time in the academy is followed by a break out and invention of new forms. ... [Comput. Sci. Eng. 14, 4 (2012)] published Tue Jan 31, 2012.
Positive attitudinal shifts with the Physics by Inquiry curriculum across multiple implementations
Beth A. Lindsey, Leonardo Hsu, Homeyra Sadaghiani, Jack W. Taylor, and Karen Cummings
Recent publications have documented positive attitudinal shifts on the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) among students enrolled in courses with an explicit epistemological focus. We now report positive attitudinal shifts in classes using the Physics by Inquiry (PbI) curriculu ... [Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8, 010102 ] published .
Improving Student Attitudes about Learning Science and Student Scientific Reasoning Skills
Douglas K. Duncan and Leilani Arthurs
Student attitudes about learning science and student ideas about the nature of science were compared at the end of two astronomy courses taught in Fall 2007, a course with a traditional astronomy curriculum and a transformed course, whose traditional astronomy curriculum was supplemented by an embed ... [AER 11, 010102 (2012)] published Tue Jan 24, 2012.
Investigating student communities with network analysis of interactions in a physics learning center
Eric Brewe, Laird Kramer, and Vashti Sawtelle
Developing a sense of community among students is one of the three pillars of an overall reform effort to increase participation in physics, and the sciences more broadly, at Florida International University. The emergence of a research and learning community, embedded within a course reform effort, ... [Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8, 010101 ] published .
Editorial: Outstanding PRST-AB Articles from 2010
Frank Zimmermann
Abstract not available. [Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 15, 010001 ] published .
Urban Middle-School Science Teachers Beliefs about the Influence of Their Astronomer-Educator Partnerships on Students' Astronomy Learner Characteristics
Rommel J. Miranda
This qualitative study investigates the extent to which urban middle-school science teachers' beliefs about their students' astronomy learner characteristics were influenced by their partnership with an astronomer in their classroom. Twelve urban middle-school science teachers were interviewed after ... [AER 11, 010101 (2012)] published Mon Jan 23, 2012.
Binder clip optics bench for Young's double-slit experiment
Dave Van Domelen
Young's double slit is one of the standard experiments in wave optics, but getting the equipment to run it can be pretty expensive, and unless you expect to run a large number of different optics labs, it may not be a worthwhile capital outlay. But with some ingenuity and office supplies, a lot of t ... [Phys. Teach. 50, 116 (2012)] published Fri Jan 20, 2012.
Inertial Navigation: A Bridge Between Kinematics and Calculus
Philip M. Sadler, Eliza N. Garfield, Alex Tremblay, and Daniel J. Sadler
Those who come to Cambridge soon learn that the fastest route between Harvard and MIT is by the subway. For many students, this short ride is a quick and easy way to link physics and calculus. A simple, homemade accelerometer provides all the instrumentation necessary to produce accurate graphs of a ... [Phys. Teach. 50, 112 (2012)] published Fri Jan 20, 2012.
The Physics of Bicycle Stability bicycle.tudelft.nl/stablebicycle
Anthony Lapinski and Chuck Britton
Abstract not available. [Phys. Teach. 50, 125 (2012)] published Fri Jan 20, 2012.
John Bell video on YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=V8CCfOD1iu8
Dan MacIsaac
Abstract not available. [Phys. Teach. 50, 125 (2012)] published Fri Jan 20, 2012.
Measurement of refractive index of a liquid
Paul Gluck and Taha Massalha
Abstract not available. [Phys. Teach. 50, 124 (2012)] published Fri Jan 20, 2012.
To swing a ball
Wojciech Dindorf
Abstract not available. [Phys. Teach. 50, 121 (2012)] published Fri Jan 20, 2012.
Fermi Questions
Larry Weinstein
Abstract not available. [Phys. Teach. 50, 117 (2012)] published Fri Jan 20, 2012.
Diffraction experiments with infrared remote controls
Jochen Kuhn and Patrik Vogt
In this paper we describe an experiment in which radiation emitted by an infrared remote control is passed through a diffraction grating. An image of the diffraction pattern is captured using a cell phone camera and then used to determine the wavelength of the radiation. ... [Phys. Teach. 50, 118 (2012)] published Fri Jan 20, 2012.