Journal Article Detail Page

Physical Review Physics Education Research
written by Antje Kohnle and Gina Passante
Analyzing, constructing, and translating between graphical, pictorial, and mathematical representations of physics ideas and reasoning flexibly through them ("representational competence") is a key characteristic of expertise in physics but is a challenge for learners to develop. Interactive computer simulations and University of Washington style tutorials both have affordances to support representational learning. This article describes work to characterize students' spontaneous use of representations before and after working with a combined simulation and tutorial on first-order energy corrections in the context of quantum-mechanical time-independent perturbation theory. Data were collected from two institutions using pre-, mid-, and post-tests to assess short- and long-term gains. A representational competence level framework was adapted to devise level descriptors for the assessment items. The results indicate an increase in the number of representations used by students and the consistency between them following the combined simulation tutorial. The distributions of representational competence levels suggest a shift from perceptual to semantic use of representations based on their underlying meaning. In terms of activity design, this study illustrates the need to support students in making sense of the representations shown in a simulation and in learning to choose the most appropriate representation for a given task. In terms of characterizing representational abilities, this study illustrates the usefulness of a framework focusing on perceptual, syntactic, and semantic use of representations.
Physical Review Physics Education Research: Volume 13, Issue 2, Pages 13
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Foundations
- Problem Solving
= Representational Use
- Student Characteristics
= Ability
Education Practices
- Instructional Material Design
= Simulation
= Tutorial
Quantum Physics
- Approximation Techniques
= Rayleigh-Schrodinger Perturbation Theory
- Bound State Systems
- Upper Undergraduate
- Lower Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Article
= Research study
Categories Intended Users Ratings
- Pedagogy
- Activity
- Researchers
- Educators
  • Currently 0.0/5

Want to rate this material?
Login here!


Formats:
application/pdf
text/html
Access Rights:
Free access
License:
This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Rights Holder:
Antje Kohnle and Gina Passante
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.020131
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created May 12, 2021 by Bruce Mason
Record Updated:
May 12, 2021 by Bruce Mason
Last Update
when Cataloged:
November 28, 2017
Other Collections:

ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!

Record Link
AIP Format
A. Kohnle and G. Passante, , Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 13 (2), 13 (2017), WWW Document, (https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.020131).
AJP/PRST-PER
A. Kohnle and G. Passante, Characterizing representational learning: A combined simulation and tutorial on perturbation theory, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 13 (2), 13 (2017), <https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.020131>.
APA Format
Kohnle, A., & Passante, G. (2017, November 28). Characterizing representational learning: A combined simulation and tutorial on perturbation theory. Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res., 13(2), 13. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.020131
Chicago Format
Kohnle, Antje, and Gina Passante. "Characterizing representational learning: A combined simulation and tutorial on perturbation theory." Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 13, no. 2, (November 28, 2017): 13, https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.020131 (accessed 12 November 2024).
MLA Format
Kohnle, Antje, and Gina Passante. "Characterizing representational learning: A combined simulation and tutorial on perturbation theory." Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 13.2 (2017): 13. 12 Nov. 2024 <https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.020131>.
BibTeX Export Format
@article{ Author = "Antje Kohnle and Gina Passante", Title = {Characterizing representational learning: A combined simulation and tutorial on perturbation theory}, Journal = {Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res.}, Volume = {13}, Number = {2}, Pages = {13}, Month = {November}, Year = {2017} }
Refer Export Format

%A Antje Kohnle %A Gina Passante %T Characterizing representational learning: A combined simulation and tutorial on perturbation theory %J Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. %V 13 %N 2 %D November 28, 2017 %P 13 %U https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.020131 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Journal Article %A Kohnle, Antje %A Passante, Gina %D November 28, 2017 %T Characterizing representational learning: A combined simulation and tutorial on perturbation theory %J Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. %V 13 %N 2 %P 13 %8 November 28, 2017 %U https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.020131


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.

Citation Source Information

The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References.

The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation.

The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ.

Save to my folders

Contribute

Similar Materials