Physics Education Research 

Uncovering thought processes used while solving physics problems is a complex task, but by measuring eye movements, we gain a window into what one focuses on and assumedly, what they are thinking about. We are interested in investigating the connection between students’ eye movements and the internal constructs they use when solving problems. It has been proposed that there are three types of internal constructs that can be used when solving physics problems, these being propositional representations, mental models and mental images. For the summer project, the student will use an eye tracker to collect eye movement data from introductory physics students solving physics problems that involve multiple representations, for example, graphical, textual or motion diagram representations. The student will then look for patterns in the eye movement data and relate these to the three types of internal constructs students are known to use when solving problems. 

This project is a synthesis of two leading-edge research efforts in physics education.  These are eye tracking as a means of making sense of student reasoning and the use of natural language processing, data mining and interactive multimedia for the development and testing of online learning environments. Interactive online learning environments represent a potentially important direction in modern instruction.  These systems have the potential to provide interactive instruction when teachers are unavailable, allow students to self-pace, and, for so-called “born digital” students, may represent an emerging way of the learning that is preferable to other methods.  Our work on the Pathway Active Learning Environment (PALE) explores the utility of a novel interactive learning environment.  The PALE project focuses on exploring how to combine different interactive multimedia components together into a system that emulates one-on-one human tutoring without the need for artificial intelligence.  Our system uses natural language processing to allow students to ask questions via the keyboard or menu selection and receive pre-recorded video responses from expert physics instructors. This synthetic tutor works in the context of video-based lesson activities designed to connect physics topics to the real world in both conceptual and quantitative ways. Recent results suggest that it is possible to use the synthetic tutor to provide students with automatic, yet student-specific feedback on their lesson work.  The synthetic tutor’s video responses can be further supported by static illustrations or narrated video clips. Understanding what students attend to when using a multimedia-intensive system, such as this, and how their visual attention might relate to their understanding have potential for gauging the utility of the system.  Eye-tracking is then a natural research approach for testing our system since it provides us with insight into where students allocate their visual attention. This REU project will focus on using eye tracking techniques and semi-structured interview protocols to explore algebra-based physics students’ attention and thought processes while using the PALE system.

How much do students learn?  How quickly do they forget?  What other factors, like physics attitude or math preparation, affect learning? In this project, we study introductory students' learning in large enrollment classes.  Data are taken using the RAWR web-based system. This summer project involves analyzing existing data and researching additional problems.  Possible topics include: vectors, electric fields and potentials, kinematics, hydrostatics, epistemology, and physics identity.  REU students must be available the first week of August to travel to the American Association of Physics Teachers National Meeting in Philadelphia.

This program is funded by the National Science Foundation through grant number PHY- 0851599.  Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.