Student Descriptions of Refraction and Optical Fibers

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written by Frances Mateycik, Doris J. Wagner, Janet J. Rivera, and Sybillyn Jennings

This paper reports our research into how students describe and think about optical fibers and the physical phenomena of refraction and total internal reflection (TIR) basic to their operation. The study was conducted as part of the improvement and expansion of web-based materials for an innovative Rensselaer introductory physics course that examines the physics underlying information technology. As we developed the prototype module, we examined students' understanding of the phenomena of refraction, TIR, and optical fibers through the use of clinical interviews. As students discussed refraction and tried to explain how optical fibers work, several patterns emerged. Our analysis of these patterns drives our assessment of the effectiveness of the revised materials in facilitating students' transfer of learning, as well as the development of a multiple-choice diagnostic tool.

Physics Education Research Conference 2004
Part of the PER Conference series
Sacramento, California: August 4-5, 2004
Volume 790, Pages 169-172

download 156kb .pdf
Published: September 1, 2005

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Education Foundations - Assessment = Instruments - Cognition = Cognition Development Education Practices - Curriculum Development = Course Optics - Geometrical Optics = Optical Instruments = Total Internal Reflection	- Lower Undergraduate - Graduate/Professional	- Reference Material = Research study

Intended Users	Formats	Ratings
- Researchers - Educators	- application/pdf - non-digital	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Mirror:: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2084728
Access Rights:: Available by subscription and
Available for purchase
Restriction:: © 2004 American Institute of Physics
DOI:: 10.1063/1.2084728
NSF Number:: 0089399
PACSs:: 01.40.Fk; 42.81.-i; 01.50.Ht; 42.25.Gy
Keywords:: Educational Aids, Optical Fibers, PERC 2004, Refractive Index, Total Internal Reflection, Web-based Material, educational aids, information systems, optical fibers, reflectivity, refractive index
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created October 21, 2009 by Alea Smith
Record Updated:: July 8, 2013 by Lyle Barbato
Other Collections:: The PER-Central

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<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=9559">Mateycik, F, D. Wagner, J. Rivera, and S. Jennings. "Student Descriptions of Refraction and Optical Fibers." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, August 4-5, 2004.</a>

AIP Format

F. Mateycik, D. Wagner, J. Rivera, and S. Jennings, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, 2004, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9559&DocID=3452).

AJP/PRST-PER

F. Mateycik, D. Wagner, J. Rivera, and S. Jennings, Student Descriptions of Refraction and Optical Fibers, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, 2004, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9559&DocID=3452>.

APA Format

Mateycik, F., Wagner, D., Rivera, J., & Jennings, S. (2004, August 4-5). Student Descriptions of Refraction and Optical Fibers. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California. Retrieved May 2, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9559&DocID=3452

Chicago Format

Mateycik, F, D. Wagner, J. Rivera, and S. Jennings. "Student Descriptions of Refraction and Optical Fibers." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, August 4-5, 2004. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9559&DocID=3452 (accessed 2 May 2025).

MLA Format

Mateycik, Frances, Doris J. Wagner, Janet J. Rivera, and Sybillyn Jennings. "Student Descriptions of Refraction and Optical Fibers." Physics Education Research Conference 2004. Sacramento, California: 2004. 169-172 Vol. 790 of PER Conference. 2 May 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9559&DocID=3452>.

BibTeX Export Format

@inproceedings{ Author = "Frances Mateycik and Doris J. Wagner and Janet J. Rivera and Sybillyn Jennings", Title = {Student Descriptions of Refraction and Optical Fibers}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2004}, Pages = {169-172}, Address = {Sacramento, California}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {790}, Month = {August 4-5}, Year = {2004} }

Refer Export Format

%A Frances Mateycik %A Doris J. Wagner %A Janet J. Rivera %A Sybillyn Jennings %T Student Descriptions of Refraction and Optical Fibers %S PER Conference %V 790 %D August 4-5 2004 %P 169-172 %C Sacramento, California %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9559&DocID=3452 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2004 %O August 4-5 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Mateycik, Frances %A Wagner, Doris J. %A Rivera, Janet J. %A Jennings, Sybillyn %D August 4-5 2004 %T Student Descriptions of Refraction and Optical Fibers %B Physics Education Research Conference 2004 %C Sacramento, California %V 790 %P 169-172 %S PER Conference %8 August 4-5 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9559&DocID=3452

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