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Arrows as anchors: Conceptual blending and student use of electric field vector arrows
written by Elizabeth Gire and Edward Price
We use the theory of conceptual blending with material anchors to describe how people make meaning of the vector arrows representation of electric fields. We describe this representation as a conceptual blend of a spatial (coordinate) input space and an electric-field-as-arrows space (which itself is a blend of electric field concept with arrows). This representation possesses material features including the use of spatial extent (e.g., distance on paper) to represent the coordinate space and to represent the magnitude of electric field vectors. As a result, this representation supports a geometric interpretation of the electric field, breaking the field into components, and the addition of two fields at a point. The material features also emphasize the spatial relationships between the source(s) and points where the field is represented. However, the material features also necessitate sampling and do not generally support the rapid superposition of two fields at all points. We illustrate this analysis with examples from clinical problem-solving interviews with upper-division physics majors, and interpret students' errors in using this representation as resulting from conflict between the input spaces in the blend.
Physics Education Research Conference 2012
Part of the PER Conference series
Philadelphia, PA: August 1-2, 2012
Volume 1513, Pages 150-153
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Foundations
- Learning Theory
= Cognitive Modeling
= Representations
- Problem Solving
= Representational Use
Electricity & Magnetism
- Electric Fields and Potential
= Electric Field
Mathematical Tools
- Problem-Solving Techniques
= Superposition
- Vector Algebra
- Upper Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Research study
Intended Users Formats Ratings
- Researchers
- application/pdf
- non-digital
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Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4789674
Access Rights:
Free access and
Available for purchase
A preprint of the work is available. A hard copy of the PERC 2012 proceedings is available for purchase from the AIP.
Restriction:
© 2012 American Institute of Physics
DOI:
10.1063/1.4789674
NSF Number:
1023120
PACSs:
01.40.-d
01.40.Ha
Keywords:
Conceptual Blending, Electric Field Vectors, Material Anchors, PERC 2012, Representational Fluency, electrostatics
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created June 21, 2013 by Zachary Davis
Record Updated:
December 17, 2013 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
January 24, 2013
Other Collections:

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AIP Format
E. Gire and E. Price, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2012, Philadelphia, PA, 2012, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12795&DocID=3330).
AJP/PRST-PER
E. Gire and E. Price, Arrows as anchors: Conceptual blending and student use of electric field vector arrows, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2012, Philadelphia, PA, 2012, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12795&DocID=3330>.
APA Format
Gire, E., & Price, E. (2012, August 1-2). Arrows as anchors: Conceptual blending and student use of electric field vector arrows. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2012, Philadelphia, PA. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12795&DocID=3330
Chicago Format
Gire, Elizabeth, and Edward Price. "Arrows as anchors: Conceptual blending and student use of electric field vector arrows." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2012, Philadelphia, PA, August 1-2, 2012. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12795&DocID=3330 (accessed 19 March 2024).
MLA Format
Gire, Elizabeth, and Edward Price. "Arrows as anchors: Conceptual blending and student use of electric field vector arrows." Physics Education Research Conference 2012. Philadelphia, PA: 2012. 150-153 Vol. 1513 of PER Conference. 19 Mar. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12795&DocID=3330>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Elizabeth Gire and Edward Price", Title = {Arrows as anchors: Conceptual blending and student use of electric field vector arrows}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2012}, Pages = {150-153}, Address = {Philadelphia, PA}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {1513}, Month = {August 1-2}, Year = {2012} }
Refer Export Format

%A Elizabeth Gire %A Edward Price %T Arrows as anchors: Conceptual blending and student use of electric field vector arrows %S PER Conference %V 1513 %D August 1-2 2012 %P 150-153 %C Philadelphia, PA %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12795&DocID=3330 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2012 %O August 1-2 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Gire, Elizabeth %A Price, Edward %D August 1-2 2012 %T Arrows as anchors: Conceptual blending and student use of electric field vector arrows %B Physics Education Research Conference 2012 %C Philadelphia, PA %V 1513 %P 150-153 %S PER Conference %8 August 1-2 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12795&DocID=3330


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