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Christof Keebaugh; Emily Marshman; Chandralekha Singh – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2024
We examine students' challenges in determining the number of distinct many-particle stationary states for a system of noninteracting identical particles, focusing on how these insights guided the design, validation, and evaluation of a quantum interactive learning tutorial (QuILT) to aid students' understanding. Specifically, we focus on systems…
Descriptors: Physics, Scientific Concepts, Science Education, Quantum Mechanics
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Keebaugh, Christof; Marshman, Emily; Singh, Chandralekha – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2019
We discuss an investigation of student difficulties with the corrections to the energy spectrum of the hydrogen atom for the intermediate field Zeeman effect using degenerate perturbation theory (DPT). The investigation was carried out in advanced quantum mechanics courses by administering free-response and multiple-choice questions and conducting…
Descriptors: Energy, Scientific Concepts, Quantum Mechanics, Advanced Courses
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Kohnle, Antje; Passante, Gina – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2017
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…
Descriptors: Physics, Science Instruction, Quantum Mechanics, Computer Simulation
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Leinonen, Risto; Asikainen, Mervi A.; Hirvonen, Pekka E. – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2017
This study analyzes the types of peer discussion that occur during lecture-based tutorial sessions. It focuses in particular on whether discussions of this kind have certain characteristics that might indicate success in the post-testing phase. The data were collected during an introductory physics course. The main data set was gathered with the…
Descriptors: Physics, Introductory Courses, Lecture Method, Tutorial Programs
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Kohnle, Antje; Ainsworth, Shaaron E.; Passante, Gina – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2020
[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Curriculum Development: Theory into Design.] This manuscript discusses how learning theories have been applied to shape multiple aspects of the design of curricular activities combining interactive computer simulations and University of Washington style tutorials (so-called simulation-tutorials).…
Descriptors: Freehand Drawing, Visual Learning, Computer Simulation, Tutoring
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Forrest, Rebecca L.; Stokes, Donna W.; Burridge, Andrea B.; Voight, Carol D. – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2017
Pretesting and early intervention measures to identify and remediate at-risk students were implemented in algebra-based introductory physics to help improve student success rates. Pretesting via a math and problem-solving diagnostic exam administered at the beginning of the course was employed to identify at-risk students based on their scores.…
Descriptors: Remedial Mathematics, Intervention, Academic Achievement, Introductory Courses
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Maries, Alexandru; Sayer, Ryan; Singh, Chandralekha – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2017
Research suggests that introductory physics students often have difficulty using a concept in contexts different from the ones in which they learned it without explicit guidance to help them make the connection between the different contexts. We have been investigating advanced students' learning of quantum mechanics concepts and have developed…
Descriptors: Quantum Mechanics, Advanced Courses, Tutorial Programs, Instructional Effectiveness
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Scanlon, Erin; Schreffler, Jillian; James, Westley; Vasquez, Eleazar; Chini, Jacquelyn J. – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2018
Federal legislation specifies equitable access to education for all students at all levels of education, including postsecondary. To explore how well the physics education research (PER) community is currently serving students who inherently vary in needs, abilities, and interests, four research-based curricula (Tutorials in Introductory Physics,…
Descriptors: Physics, Science Instruction, Access to Education, Curriculum Development
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DeVore, Seth; Gauthier, Alexandre; Levy, Jeremy; Singh, Chandralekha – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2016
A lock-in amplifier is a versatile instrument frequently used in physics research. However, many students struggle with the basic operating principles of a lock-in amplifier which can lead to a variety of difficulties. To improve students' understanding, we have been developing and evaluating a research-based tutorial which makes use of a computer…
Descriptors: Physics, Pretests Posttests, Computer Simulation, Science Instruction
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Sayer, Ryan; Maries, Alexandru; Singh, Chandralekha – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2017
Learning quantum mechanics is challenging, even for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students. Research-validated interactive tutorials that build on students' prior knowledge can be useful tools to enhance student learning. We have been investigating student difficulties with quantum mechanics pertaining to the double-slit experiment in…
Descriptors: Quantum Mechanics, Interaction, Tutorial Programs, Student Improvement
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Young, Daniel E.; Meredith, Dawn C. – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2017
The resources framework provides a useful and generative model of student thinking and learning. In particular, it suggests various strategies for instruction such as priming resources and refining intuition that allow students to build on knowledge they already have. In this paper, we describe the affordances of the resources framework in guiding…
Descriptors: Intervention, Physics, Kinetics, Program Design
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Marshman, Emily; Singh, Chandralekha – Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2017
Single photon experiments involving a Mach-Zehnder interferometer can illustrate the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, e.g., the wave-particle duality of a single photon, single photon interference, and the probabilistic nature of quantum measurement involving single photons. These experiments explicitly make the connection between the…
Descriptors: Quantum Mechanics, Difficulty Level, Problem Solving, Action Research