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Transferability and specialization: analyzing STEM students’ perspectives of problem-solving
written by Vina Macias, Jacob Poirier, Benjamin M. Zwickl, and Susan L. Rothwell
Problem-solving is emphasized in introductory physics courses to equip students with tools that hopefully transfer to their future lives and careers. The EMPOWER project interviewed undergraduate STEM majors from computing, manufacturing, nursing, energy, and physics about their perspectives on problem-solving. Sixty-nine student focus groups were conducted, totaling 239 students. All students emphasized the importance of problem-solving in their discipline of study, but no single practice of problem-solving was applicable for all students. Most problem-solving perspectives were unique to each discipline (e.g., perseverance was emphasized in physics, empathy in nursing), while some perspectives were emphasized across several STEM fields (e.g., teamwork). Transferable problem-solving practices were often used alongside specialized practices to handle the unique challenges of each discipline. Findings suggest shifting away from framing problem-solving as a solitary transferable skill and toward framing problem-solving as an integrated set of context-dependent practices.
Physics Education Research Conference 2019
Part of the PER Conference series
Provo, UT: July 24-25, 2019
Pages 348-353
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Foundations
- Learning Theory
= Transfer
- Problem Solving
- Student Characteristics
= Skills
Education Practices
- Careers
- Lower Undergraduate
- Upper Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Research study
Intended Users Formats Ratings
- Researchers
- 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.Macias_V
NSF Number:
1561493
Keyword:
PERC 2019
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created January 7, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
January 7, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
January 7, 2020
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Record Link
AIP Format
V. Macias, J. Poirier, B. Zwickl, and S. Rothwell, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, 2019, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15297&DocID=5209).
AJP/PRST-PER
V. Macias, J. Poirier, B. Zwickl, and S. Rothwell, Transferability and specialization: analyzing STEM students’ perspectives of problem-solving, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, 2019, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15297&DocID=5209>.
APA Format
Macias, V., Poirier, J., Zwickl, B., & Rothwell, S. (2019, July 24-25). Transferability and specialization: analyzing STEM students’ perspectives of problem-solving. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT. Retrieved April 29, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15297&DocID=5209
Chicago Format
Macias, V, J. Poirier, B. Zwickl, and S. Rothwell. "Transferability and specialization: analyzing STEM students’ perspectives of problem-solving." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, July 24-25, 2019. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15297&DocID=5209 (accessed 29 April 2024).
MLA Format
Macias, Vina, Jacob Poirier, Benjamin Zwickl, and Susan Rothwell. "Transferability and specialization: analyzing STEM students’ perspectives of problem-solving." Physics Education Research Conference 2019. Provo, UT: 2019. 348-353 of PER Conference. 29 Apr. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15297&DocID=5209>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Vina Macias and Jacob Poirier and Benjamin Zwickl and Susan Rothwell", Title = {Transferability and specialization: analyzing STEM students’ perspectives of problem-solving}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2019}, Pages = {348-353}, Address = {Provo, UT}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {July 24-25}, Year = {2019} }
Refer Export Format

%A Vina Macias %A Jacob Poirier %A Benjamin Zwickl %A Susan Rothwell %T Transferability and specialization: analyzing STEM students' perspectives of problem-solving %S PER Conference %D July 24-25 2019 %P 348-353 %C Provo, UT %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15297&DocID=5209 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2019 %O July 24-25 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Macias, Vina %A Poirier, Jacob %A Zwickl, Benjamin %A Rothwell, Susan %D July 24-25 2019 %T Transferability and specialization: analyzing STEM students' perspectives of problem-solving %B Physics Education Research Conference 2019 %C Provo, UT %P 348-353 %S PER Conference %8 July 24-25 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15297&DocID=5209


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