Collaborative Research: Measuring and Improving Physics Quantitative Literacy throughout the Undergraduate Curriculum

该项目旨在通过开发工具来评估和表征学生在不同学生群体中的物理数学推理技能，从而服务于国家利益。物理入门是许多STEM专业的必修课，很大程度上是因为它可以帮助学生发展数学推理技能，从而使学生能够在学位课程中取得成功。需要新的教学材料和方法来帮助学生学习这些基本技能。这项研究计划评估物理专业学生在完成中高级物理课程后这些技能的发展情况。将开发和验证一种新的评估工具，使教师和研究人员能够衡量地理和社会经济上不同人群的数学推理技能。这些评估的结果将被用于设计、开发和测试干预措施，以提高这些技能。项目成果将在国家会议上公布，并在STEM教育的同行评议期刊上发表。评估工具将通过在线储存库提供给STEM教育界。该项目旨在提高学生的数学推理能力，以便他们能够从定量的角度描述和理解世界。该项目建立在量化素养物理量表(PIQL)的最新发展基础上，以满足对学生在物理中的数学推理能力的形成性评估的需求，即物理定量素养(PQL)。PIQL在一所大型公立研究型大学以微积分为基础的入门物理学生中进行了验证。这个项目将通过收集初级和高级本科课程的PIQL数据，绘制出整个本科物理专业PIQL的发展情况。该项目将开发并验证一种基于PIQL的新测试，该测试适用于接触正规数学课程较少的人群。这项新的测试将被用来测量许多STEM专业的学生在物理课程的广度上的PQL，跨越多个机构。这一新测试的有效性和可靠性的证据将通过定量和定性分析的迭代周期，基于在验证PIQL时建立的成功程序而建立。最终，该项目将开发和试点教学活动，以提高学生的PQL作为结果。这些材料的有效性将使用PIQL或新开发的测试进行评估。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。通过参与的学生学习路径，该计划支持有前景的实践和工具的创建、探索和实施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by developing tools to assess and characterize students’ mathematical reasoning skills in physics across a diverse student population. Introductory physics is required for many STEM majors, in large part, because it can help develop mathematical reasoning skills so that students can succeed in their degree program. New instructional materials and methods are needed that can help students learn these essential skills. This study plans to assess the development of these skills in physics majors as they complete middle- and upper-division physics courses. A new assessment instrument will be developed and validated to allow instructors and researchers to measure mathematical reasoning skills across geographically and socioeconomically diverse populations. Results from these assessments will be used to design, develop, and test interventions to improve these skills. Project results will be presented at national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals in STEM education. The assessment instruments will be made available to the STEM education community through online repositories. The project addresses a national need to improve students’ mathematical reasoning skills so that they can describe and understand the world from a quantitative perspective.This project builds on the recent development of the Physics Inventory of Quantitative Literacy (PIQL) to meet the need for a formative assessment of students’ mathematical reasoning in physics, referred to as Physics Quantitative Literacy (PQL). The PIQL was validated with calculus-based introductory physics students at a large public research university. This project will map the development of PQL throughout the undergraduate physics major by collecting PIQL data in introductory and advanced undergraduate courses. The project will develop and validate a new test, based on the PIQL, that is appropriate for populations with less exposure to formal mathematics courses. This new test will be used to measure PQL in the breadth of physics courses taken by many STEM majors, across multiple institutions. Evidence for the validity and reliability of this new test will be established through an iterative cycle of quantitative and qualitative analyses, based on the successful procedures established while validating the PIQL. Ultimately, this project will develop and pilot instructional activities to improve students’ PQL as an outcome. The effectiveness of these materials will be assessed using either the PIQL or the newly developed test. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.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.