Physics teaching in both high school and college places an emphasis on problem solving [1–8], and although students demonstrate reasonable competence in traditional assessments of problem solving skills, there is evidence that understanding of fairly fundamental concepts is weak or lacking following completion of introductory courses [9–14]. Students in introductory physics courses solve problems largely using a process termed means-ends analysis, whereby they search for equations containing the quantities in a problem and try to reduce the “distance” between the goal state and their current state in the solution process [5,8,15,16]. Students are not taught to solve problems simply by manipulating equations since instruc-tors typically mention the concepts and principles that they are applying, but students rightly perceive the equations as being central to obtaining quantitative answers and tend to ignore conceptual information. This approach can be effective at getting answers, but falls short in understanding the conceptual underpinnings of the solution process. It is, therefore, not surprising that students learn or retain little
conceptual knowledge following introductory physics courses.
Physics teaching in both high school and college places an emphasis on problem solving [1–8], and although students demonstrate reasonable competence in traditional assessments of problem solving skills, there is evidence that understanding of fairly fundamental concepts is weak or lacking following completion of introductory courses [9–14]. Students in introductory physics courses solve problems largely using a process termed means-ends analysis, whereby they search for equations containing the quantities in a problem and try to reduce the “distance” between the goal state and their current state in the solution process [5,8,15,16]. Students are not taught to solve problems simply by manipulating equations since instruc-tors typically mention the concepts and principles that they are applying, but students rightly perceive the equations as being central to obtaining quantitative answers and tend to ignore conceptual information. This approach can be effective at getting answers, but falls short in understanding the conceptual underpinnings of the solution process. It is, therefore, not surprising that students learn or retain littleconceptual knowledge following introductory physics courses.
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