Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course
I discuss some observations from using interactive-engagement instructional methods in an upper-level thermal physics course over a two-year period. From the standpoint of the subject matter knowledge of the upper-level students, there was a striking persistence of common learning difficulties previously observed in students enrolled in the introductory course, accompanied, however, by some notable contrasts between the groups. More broadly, I comment on comparisons and contrasts regarding general pedagogical issues among different student sub-populations, for example: differences in the receptivity of lower- and upper-level students to diagrammatic representations; varying receptivity to tutorial-style instructional approach within the upper-level population; and contrasting approaches to learning among physics and engineering sub-populations in the upper-level course with regard to use of symbolic notation, mathematical equations, and readiness to employ verbal explanations.
Physics Education Research Conference 2009
Part of the PER Conference Invited Paper series Ann Arbor, Michigan: July 29-30, 2009 Volume 1179, Pages 31-34
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![]() <a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=9895">Meltzer, David. "Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 29-30, 2009.</a>
![]() D. Meltzer, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9895&DocID=1527).
![]() D. Meltzer, Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9895&DocID=1527>.
![]() Meltzer, D. (2009, July 29-30). Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Retrieved May 1, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9895&DocID=1527
![]() Meltzer, David. "Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course." 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=9895&DocID=1527 (accessed 1 May 2025).
![]() Meltzer, David. "Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course." Physics Education Research Conference 2009. Ann Arbor, Michigan: 2009. 31-34 Vol. 1179 of PER Conference Invited Paper. 1 May 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9895&DocID=1527>.
![]() @inproceedings{
Author = "David Meltzer",
Title = {Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course},
BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2009},
Pages = {31-34},
Address = {Ann Arbor, Michigan},
Series = {PER Conference Invited Paper},
Volume = {1179},
Month = {July 29-30},
Year = {2009}
}
![]() %A David Meltzer %T Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course %S PER Conference Invited Paper %V 1179 %D July 29-30 2009 %P 31-34 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9895&DocID=1527 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %O July 29-30 %O application/pdf ![]() %0 Conference Proceedings %A Meltzer, David %D July 29-30 2009 %T Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course %B Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %V 1179 %P 31-34 %S PER Conference Invited Paper %8 July 29-30 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9895&DocID=1527 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
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