Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton’s Second Law

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written by Michael C. Wittmann and Mindi Kvaal Anderson

As a follow-up to a study comparing learning of Newton's Third Law when using three different forms of tutorial instruction, we have compared student learning of Newton's Second Law (NSL) when students use the Tutorials in Introductory Physics, Activity-Based Tutorials, or Open Source Tutorials. We split an algebra-based, life sciences physics course in 3 groups and measured students' pre- and post-instruction scores on the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE). We look at only the NSL-related clusters of questions on the FMCE to compare students' performance and normalized gains. Students entering the course are not significantly different, and students using the Tutorials in Introductory Physics show the largest normalized gains in answering question on the FMCE correctly. These gains are significant in only one cluster of questions, the Force Sled cluster.

Physics Education Research Conference 2009
Part of the PER Conference series
Ann Arbor, Michigan: July 29-30, 2009
Volume 1179, Pages 301-304

download 139kb .pdf
Published: November 11, 2009

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Classical Mechanics - Newton's Second Law Education Foundations - Assessment Education Practices - Active Learning = Inquiry Learning	- Lower Undergraduate	- Reference Material = Research study

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Mirror:: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3266742
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:: 10.1063/1.3266742
PACSs:: 01.40.Fk; 01.40.G-; 01.40.gb
Keywords:: Activity-Based Tutorials, Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE), Newton's Laws, Open Source Tutorials, PERC 2009, Tutorials in Introductory Physics
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created October 14, 2009 by Alea Smith
Record Updated:: July 16, 2010 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: November 11, 2009
Other Collections:: The PER-Central

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<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=9512">Wittmann, Michael, and Mindi Kvaal Anderson. "Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton’s Second Law." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 29-30, 2009.</a>

AIP Format

M. Wittmann and M. Anderson, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9512&DocID=1385).

AJP/PRST-PER

M. Wittmann and M. Anderson, Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton’s Second Law, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9512&DocID=1385>.

APA Format

Wittmann, M., & Anderson, M. (2009, July 29-30). Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton’s Second Law. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Retrieved May 2, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9512&DocID=1385

Chicago Format

Wittmann, Michael, and Mindi Kvaal Anderson. "Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton’s Second Law." 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=9512&DocID=1385 (accessed 2 May 2025).

MLA Format

Wittmann, Michael, and Mindi Kvaal Anderson. "Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton’s Second Law." Physics Education Research Conference 2009. Ann Arbor, Michigan: 2009. 301-304 Vol. 1179 of PER Conference. 2 May 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9512&DocID=1385>.

BibTeX Export Format

@inproceedings{ Author = "Michael Wittmann and Mindi Kvaal Anderson", Title = {Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton’s Second Law}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2009}, Pages = {301-304}, Address = {Ann Arbor, Michigan}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {1179}, Month = {July 29-30}, Year = {2009} }

Refer Export Format

%A Michael Wittmann %A Mindi Kvaal Anderson %T Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton's Second Law %S PER Conference %V 1179 %D July 29-30 2009 %P 301-304 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9512&DocID=1385 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %O July 29-30 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Wittmann, Michael %A Anderson, Mindi Kvaal %D July 29-30 2009 %T Comparing Three Methods for Teaching Newton's Second Law %B Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %V 1179 %P 301-304 %S PER Conference %8 July 29-30 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9512&DocID=1385

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