Context & Representations Make a Difference: Insights from transfer research on teaching and learning physics
| What |
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|---|---|
| When |
Dec 11, 2012 from 04:00 pm to 05:00 pm |
| Where | G 1, Lecture hall, Main building, HBCSE |
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Speaker:
Prof. Dean Zollman, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
Venue:
G 1, Lecture hall, Main building, HBCSE-TIFR, V. N. Purav Marg, Near Anushaktinagar Bus Terminus, Mankhurd, Mumbai 400088.
Abstract:
“The questions on the test were totally different from the homework.” All of us have heard variations on this statement. Yet, when we look at the homework and the test questions, we see great similarities. Changing the context or the representation in physics problems that seem very similar to each other can cause students to have significant difficulties. These difficulties frequently persist even when we show students why we think the problems are similar. With significant effort from Sanjay Rebello our group has been investigating some of the issues which lead to the inability to apply physics learned in one context or with one representation to other situations. We have built a model that is based on transfer of learning research and that helps us understand some of the issues that students face when the context or representation change. With this model, we are beginning to understand some of the aspects that help transfer of learning and some that do not.
Supported by the grants from the US National Science Foundation and US Department of Education.
