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Comparing Experts and Novices in Solving Electrical Circuit Problems with the Help of Eye-Tracking
written by David Rosengrant, Colin Thomson, and Taha Mzoughi
In order to help introductory physics students understand and learn to solve problems with circuits, we must first understand how they differ from experts. This preliminary study focuses on problem-solving dealing with electrical circuits. We investigate difficulties novices have with circuits and compare their work with those of experts. We incorporate the use of an eye-tracker to investigate any possible differences or similarities on how experts and novices solve electrical circuit problems. Our results show similarities in gaze patterns among all subjects on the components of the circuit. We further found that experts would look back at the circuit while solving the problem but not the novices. We also found differences in how they solve the problems. For example, experts simplified circuits when appropriate as opposed to novices who did not. They also had difficulties identifying when resistors are in parallel or in series and how to combine them.
Physics Education Research Conference 2009
Part of the PER Conference series
Ann Arbor, Michigan: July 29-30, 2009
Volume 1179, Pages 249-252
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Foundations
- Alternative Conceptions
- Behavior
- Problem Solving
= Expert-Novice Comparisons
Electricity & Magnetism
- DC Circuits
= Ohm's Law
- Lower Undergraduate
- Graduate/Professional
- Reference Material
= Research study
Intended Users Formats Ratings
- Researchers
- Educators
- application/pdf
- non-digital
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Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3266728
Access Rights:
Free access and
Available for purchase
A preprint of the work is available. A hard copy of the PERC 2009 proceedings is also available.
Restriction:
© 2009 American Institute of Physics
DOI:
10.1063/1.3266728
PACSs:
07.50.Ek
01.40.-d
Keywords:
PERC 2009, electrical circuits, multiple representations, problem solving
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created October 12, 2009 by Alea Smith
Record Updated:
June 14, 2011 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
November 11, 2009
Other Collections:

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Record Link
AIP Format
D. Rosengrant, C. Thomson, and T. Mzoughi, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9495&DocID=1372).
AJP/PRST-PER
D. Rosengrant, C. Thomson, and T. Mzoughi, Comparing Experts and Novices in Solving Electrical Circuit Problems with the Help of Eye-Tracking, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9495&DocID=1372>.
APA Format
Rosengrant, D., Thomson, C., & Mzoughi, T. (2009, July 29-30). Comparing Experts and Novices in Solving Electrical Circuit Problems with the Help of Eye-Tracking. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9495&DocID=1372
Chicago Format
Rosengrant, D, C. Thomson, and T. Mzoughi. "Comparing Experts and Novices in Solving Electrical Circuit Problems with the Help of Eye-Tracking." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 29-30, 2009. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9495&DocID=1372 (accessed 28 March 2024).
MLA Format
Rosengrant, David, Colin Thomson, and Taha Mzoughi. "Comparing Experts and Novices in Solving Electrical Circuit Problems with the Help of Eye-Tracking." Physics Education Research Conference 2009. Ann Arbor, Michigan: 2009. 249-252 Vol. 1179 of PER Conference. 28 Mar. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9495&DocID=1372>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "David Rosengrant and Colin Thomson and Taha Mzoughi", Title = {Comparing Experts and Novices in Solving Electrical Circuit Problems with the Help of Eye-Tracking}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2009}, Pages = {249-252}, Address = {Ann Arbor, Michigan}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {1179}, Month = {July 29-30}, Year = {2009} }
Refer Export Format

%A David Rosengrant %A Colin Thomson %A Taha Mzoughi %T Comparing Experts and Novices in Solving Electrical Circuit Problems with the Help of Eye-Tracking %S PER Conference %V 1179 %D July 29-30 2009 %P 249-252 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9495&DocID=1372 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %O July 29-30 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Rosengrant, David %A Thomson, Colin %A Mzoughi, Taha %D July 29-30 2009 %T Comparing Experts and Novices in Solving Electrical Circuit Problems with the Help of Eye-Tracking %B Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %V 1179 %P 249-252 %S PER Conference %8 July 29-30 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9495&DocID=1372


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