There is currently little physics education literature examining thinking and learning in graduate education and even less literature characterizing problem solving among physics graduate students despite this being an essential professional skill for physicists. Given reports of discrepancies between physics problem solving in the undergraduate…

This study focused on the use of anticipation guides (AG) as a reading strategy to support science reading and explored the level of students' scientific written arguments as a result. An AG consists of four components that address the topic of the reading activity: statements about the content, what I think, what the texts say, and evidence in…

This paper explores the views of leading Czech physicists regarding a physics curriculum for upper secondary schools. This paper presents the first part of an effort to define starting points for a new physics curriculum in Czechia (subsequent phases would analyze the opinions of other scientists, education experts, and physics teachers regarding…

Mindset is a construct of interest for challenging learning environments, as science courses often are, in that, it has implications for behavioral responses to academic challenges. Previous work examining mindset in science learning contexts has been primarily quantitative in nature, limiting the theoretical basis for mindset perspectives…

The cognitive reflection test (CRT) assesses an individual's capacity to restrain impulsive and intuitive responses and to engage in critical reflection on mathematical problems. The literature indicates that several factors influence students' performance on CRT, including gender, age, and prior knowledge of mathematics. In this study, our…

Generative AI technologies such as large language models show novel potential to enhance educational research. For example, generative large language models were shown to be capable of solving quantitative reasoning tasks in physics and concept tests such as the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). Given the importance of such concept inventories for…

This study aimed at evaluating how students perceive the linguistic quality and scientific accuracy of ChatGPT responses to physics comprehension questions. A total of 102 first- and second-year physics students were confronted with three questions of progressing difficulty from introductory mechanics (rolling motion, waves, and fluid dynamics).…

This study aims to determine how the use of virtual reality impacts physics students, their knowledge, and the quality of training. The study involved 116 students aged 17-19. The main purpose is to explore the effect that VR technology has on students' knowledge and motivation. As per usual, the students were divided into two research groups:…

A central objective of science education is to foster a profound comprehension of fundamental scientific principles among students. Research has shown that a highly integrated knowledge structure is a key factor in achieving a deep understanding. This research has developed a friction force conceptual framework to model students' different…

This study explores the use of artificial intelligence in grading high-stakes physics exams, emphasizing the application of psychometric methods, particularly item response theory, to evaluate the reliability of AI-assisted grading. We examine how grading rubrics can be iteratively refined and how threshold parameters can determine when…

We investigate learning difficulties among second-year students in electromagnetism courses when they apply Ampère-Maxwell's law. Using phenomenography, we analyzed written answers from 65 undergraduate physics students to four questions on Ampère's and Ampère-Maxwell's laws. We complemented our research by interviewing 12 students. To design the…

Self-efficacy is an important measure in science education as it is predictive of persistence and success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses and is an influential factor in students' decisions to major in STEM fields. It is unclear what effect active teaching strategies have on students' self-efficacy, which is…

In 2017, the University of Utah experienced a tragedy that accelerated already proposed changes to the physics and astronomy graduate program. This article outlines the changes made to the graduate program and discusses students' experiences with the early implementation of the new policies. In-depth, open-ended interviews were conducted with…

This study examines the feasibility and potential advantages of using large language models, in particular GPT-4o, to perform partial credit grading of large numbers of student written responses to introductory level physics problems. Students were instructed to write down verbal explanations of their reasoning process when solving one conceptual…

Digital proficiency, including coding, is increasingly essential in physics education. However, disparities in coding skills among students are influenced by demographic factors and prior educational exposure. This study examines barriers to pre-university coding exposure for first-year physics students across five UK institutions, proposing a…