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Tracking the referent system to understand students' math modeling processes
written by Christopher Webster and Benjamin M. Zwickl
Math modeling is an iterative process where students use their observations and reasoning abilities to create and refine predictions or explanations about a single referent system (e.g., a lab apparatus). However, modeling may be complicated by the presence of multiple problem representations in an activity (e.g., both a word problem and a video demo), in which case students have multiple referents to consider. To study students' modeling behavior in these situations, we conducted think-aloud interviews with pairs of students around a kinematics activity. While creating process maps of students' modeling, we found that tracking students' "system focus" was critical to interpreting their reasoning and decisions. The model referent is no longer seen as a static object; instead, it is a dynamic object that changes in response to both structured prompts and spontaneous events. This concept gives rise to practical insights into activity design and implementation.
Physics Education Research Conference 2019
Part of the PER Conference series
Provo, UT: July 24-25, 2019
Pages 615-620
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Foundations
- Cognition
- Learning Theory
= Cognitive Modeling
= Representations
- Problem Solving
= Processes
= Representational Use
Education Practices
- Instructional Material Design
= Activity
- Upper Undergraduate
- Lower Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Research study
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- application/pdf
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Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019…
Access Rights:
Free access
License:
This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the published article's author(s), title, proceedings citation, and DOI.
Rights Holder:
American Association of Physics Teachers
DOI:
10.1119/perc.2019.pr.Webster
NSF Number:
1561493
Keyword:
PERC 2019
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created December 31, 2019 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
January 2, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
December 31, 2019
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AIP Format
C. Webster and B. Zwickl, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, 2019, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15230&DocID=5145).
AJP/PRST-PER
C. Webster and B. Zwickl, Tracking the referent system to understand students' math modeling processes, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, 2019, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15230&DocID=5145>.
APA Format
Webster, C., & Zwickl, B. (2019, July 24-25). Tracking the referent system to understand students' math modeling processes. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15230&DocID=5145
Chicago Format
Webster, Christopher, and Benjamin Zwickl. "Tracking the referent system to understand students' math modeling processes." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, July 24-25, 2019. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15230&DocID=5145 (accessed 19 April 2024).
MLA Format
Webster, Christopher, and Benjamin Zwickl. "Tracking the referent system to understand students' math modeling processes." Physics Education Research Conference 2019. Provo, UT: 2019. 615-620 of PER Conference. 19 Apr. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15230&DocID=5145>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Christopher Webster and Benjamin Zwickl", Title = {Tracking the referent system to understand students' math modeling processes}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2019}, Pages = {615-620}, Address = {Provo, UT}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {July 24-25}, Year = {2019} }
Refer Export Format

%A Christopher Webster %A Benjamin Zwickl %T Tracking the referent system to understand students' math modeling processes %S PER Conference %D July 24-25 2019 %P 615-620 %C Provo, UT %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15230&DocID=5145 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2019 %O July 24-25 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Webster, Christopher %A Zwickl, Benjamin %D July 24-25 2019 %T Tracking the referent system to understand students' math modeling processes %B Physics Education Research Conference 2019 %C Provo, UT %P 615-620 %S PER Conference %8 July 24-25 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15230&DocID=5145


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