Detecting Student's Dual-Process Reasoning in Introductory Undergraduate Physics

检测学生在本科物理入门中的双过程推理

• 批准号: 2025141
• 负责人: John Kelly
• 金额: $ 11.23万
• 依托单位: Tennessee State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2023-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2025141&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Detecting; Student; Dual; Process; Reasoning

In this capacity building project, the investigator proposes to replicate a research project to investigate dual process reasoning in an undergraduate physics classroom at a Historically Black College and University. Dual process theories state that when faced with a decision, students may use both an autonomous system of cognition (T1S) and a reflective system (T2S) that relies on working memory and mental simulations. The current project builds on prior research that applied the heuristic-analytic theory of reasoning to examine students’ intuitive thinking in the context of physics. The prior project studied concepts related to capacitors and mechanical waves. In the current project, the investigator will study concepts related to Newtonian mechanics. This research is intended to inform interventions that can help students develop valid intuitions and evaluate physical situations using formal physics reasoning. The investigator will implement a professional development plan to acquire skills and competencies to conduct STEM education research. Development activities include mentoring, and courses in multivariate statistics and in design and implementation of mixed methods research. In addition to its potential to enhance student success in physics and other STEM courses, the project will position the investigator to conduct future research on metacognition in students. The study will investigate to what extent measures of reflective thinking correlate with performance on conceptual physics problems. The guiding hypotheses are: (1) Students who answer the screening questions correctly will show a positive correlation between correct answers on target questions and Critical Reflection Test (CRT) taken as a measure of higher cognitive reflection skills; (2) Students who answer the screening questions correctly will show a positive correlation between CRT scores and correct reasoning on a subsequent question; (3) Students who show a higher propensity for reflective thinking, as measured by the CRT, are more likely to use formal physics reasoning on the target questions (i.e. provide correct answers and correct reasoning for all questions); and (4) Students taking Calculus-based Physics 1 will have higher average CRT scores than those taking Conceptual Physics. Interview data will be collected for three semesters in two introductory physics classes and analyzed by replicating the system of screening questions and target questions from the earlier study. Data will be analyzed using effect sizes, logic regression, and a t-test. The research plan creates questions that probe dual-process reasoning in a broader range of students and creates diagnostics and a baseline for understanding dual-process reasoning that can be used to study the influence of interventions to improve reflective, analytic thinking among HBCU students. The research results will contribute to developing interventions to improve the reasoning and analysis skills of underrepresented students and build capacity to develop a vibrant physics education research program at the institution. This project is supported by the ECR: Building Capacity in STEM Education Research competition of the EHR Core Research (ECR) program. ECR funds STEM education research projects that are focused on STEM learning and learning environment, broadening participation in STEM fields, and STEM professional workforce development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

在这个能力建设项目中，研究人员建议复制一个研究项目，在一个历史悠久的黑人学院和大学的本科物理课堂上调查双过程推理。双过程理论指出，当面对一个决定时，学生可能会使用自主认知系统（T1 S）和依赖于工作记忆和心理模拟的反思系统（T2 S）。目前的项目建立在先前的研究，应用推理的分析理论，以检查学生的直觉思维在物理的背景下。先前的项目研究了与电容器和机械波相关的概念。 在目前的项目中，研究人员将研究与牛顿力学有关的概念。这项研究的目的是告知干预措施，可以帮助学生发展有效的直觉和评估使用正式的物理推理的物理情况。 调查员将实施专业发展计划，以获得进行STEM教育研究的技能和能力。 发展活动包括指导，多元统计和混合方法研究的设计和实施课程。 除了有可能提高学生在物理和其他STEM课程中的成功外，该项目还将使研究人员能够对学生的元认知进行未来的研究。本研究将探讨反思性思维的测量与概念物理问题的表现有多大的相关性。指导性假设是：（1）正确回答筛选题的学生，在目标问题上的正确答案与衡量较高认知反思能力的批判性反思测验（CRT）之间会呈现正相关;（2）正确回答筛选题的学生，在CRT分数与后续问题上的正确推理之间会呈现正相关;（3）在对照测试中，具有较高反思性思考倾向的学生，较有可能就目标问题使用形式物理推理（即为所有问题提供正确答案和正确推理）;及（4）修读微积分基础物理1的学生的CRT平均分数会高于修读概念物理的学生。 访谈数据将收集三个学期的两个介绍物理课，并通过复制系统的筛选问题和目标问题，从早期的研究进行分析。将使用效应量、逻辑回归和t检验分析数据。该研究计划创建了在更广泛的学生中探索双过程推理的问题，并创建了诊断和理解双过程推理的基线，可用于研究干预措施的影响，以改善HBCU学生的反思和分析思维。 研究结果将有助于制定干预措施，以提高代表性不足的学生的推理和分析技能，并建立能力，在该机构制定一个充满活力的物理教育研究计划。该项目得到了ECR的支持：EHR核心研究（ECR）计划的STEM教育研究竞争能力建设。ECR资助STEM教育研究项目，这些项目专注于STEM学习和学习环境，扩大STEM领域的参与，以及STEM专业人才队伍的发展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。