Evolution of Student Knowledge in a Traditional Introductory Classroom

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written by Eleanor C. Sayre and Andrew F. Heckler

In the physics education research community, a common format for evaluation is pre- and post-tests. In this study, we collect student test data many times throughout a course, allowing for the measurement of the changes of student knowledge with a time resolution on the order of a few days. The data cover the first two quarters (mechanics, E&M) of a calculus-based introductory sequence populated primarily by first- and second-year engineering majors. To avoid the possibility of test-retest effects, separate and quasi-random subpopulations of students are evaluated every week of the quarter on a variety of tasks. Unsurprisingly for a traditional introductory course, there is little change on many conceptual questions. However, the data suggest that some student ideas peak and decay rapidly during a quarter, a pattern consistent with memory research yet unmeasurable by pre-/post-testing.

Physics Education Research Conference 2008
Part of the PER Conference series
Edmonton, Canada: July 23-24, 2008
Volume 1064, Pages 195-198

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Published: October 20, 2008
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Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Education Foundations - Assessment = Instruments - Cognition = Cognition Development	- Lower Undergraduate - Graduate/Professional	- Reference Material = Research study

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Mirror:: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3021252
Access Rights:: Free access and
Available for purchase
Restriction:: © 2008 American Institute of Physics
A hard copy of the PERC 2008 proceedings is available for purchase from the AIP.
DOE Grant:: R305H050125
DOI:: 10.1063/1.3021252
PACSs:: 01.30.lb; 01.40.Fk; 01.40.Ha; 01.40.gb; 01.40.G-; 01.50.H-; 01.50.F-
Keywords:: PERC 2008, cognitive modeling, cognitive systems, educational aids, educational computing, educational courses, electrostatics, engineering education, introductory students, learning (artificial intelligence), research and development management, scientific information systems, testing
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created September 12, 2008 by Jenny Rempel
Record Updated:: July 16, 2013 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: October 20, 2008
Other Collections:: The PER-Central

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=8018">Sayre, Eleanor, and Andrew F. Heckler. "Evolution of Student Knowledge in a Traditional Introductory Classroom." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2008, Edmonton, Canada, July 23-24, 2008.</a>

AIP Format

E. Sayre and A. Heckler, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2008, Edmonton, Canada, 2008, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8018&DocID=714).

AJP/PRST-PER

E. Sayre and A. Heckler, Evolution of Student Knowledge in a Traditional Introductory Classroom, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2008, Edmonton, Canada, 2008, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8018&DocID=714>.

APA Format

Sayre, E., & Heckler, A. (2008, July 23-24). Evolution of Student Knowledge in a Traditional Introductory Classroom. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2008, Edmonton, Canada. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8018&DocID=714

Chicago Format

Sayre, Eleanor, and Andrew F. Heckler. "Evolution of Student Knowledge in a Traditional Introductory Classroom." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2008, Edmonton, Canada, July 23-24, 2008. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8018&DocID=714 (accessed 23 April 2024).

MLA Format

Sayre, Eleanor, and Andrew F. Heckler. "Evolution of Student Knowledge in a Traditional Introductory Classroom." Physics Education Research Conference 2008. Edmonton, Canada: 2008. 195-198 Vol. 1064 of PER Conference. 23 Apr. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8018&DocID=714>.

BibTeX Export Format

@inproceedings{ Author = "Eleanor Sayre and Andrew F. Heckler", Title = {Evolution of Student Knowledge in a Traditional Introductory Classroom}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2008}, Pages = {195-198}, Address = {Edmonton, Canada}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {1064}, Month = {July 23-24}, Year = {2008} }

Refer Export Format

%A Eleanor Sayre %A Andrew F. Heckler %T Evolution of Student Knowledge in a Traditional Introductory Classroom %S PER Conference %V 1064 %D July 23-24 2008 %P 195-198 %C Edmonton, Canada %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8018&DocID=714 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2008 %O July 23-24 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Sayre, Eleanor %A Heckler, Andrew F. %D July 23-24 2008 %T Evolution of Student Knowledge in a Traditional Introductory Classroom %B Physics Education Research Conference 2008 %C Edmonton, Canada %V 1064 %P 195-198 %S PER Conference %8 July 23-24 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8018&DocID=714

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