This study demonstrates how to integrate qualitative research with the calibration of a quantitative scale, in the context of an experimental comparison.
TheI ntended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) is a statements describing what students know, understand, and can do with their knowledge, as well as what they feel and believe, as a result of their learning experiences
Can be written for a course, a program, or an entire institution
This study demonstrates how to integrate qualitative research with the calibration of a quantitative scale, in the context of an experimental comparison.
TheI ntended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) is a statements describing what students know, understand, and can do with their knowledge, as well as what they feel and believe, as a result of their learning experiences
Can be written for a course, a program, or an entire institution
This post is based on my field study that I did conduct for the three quarters of the year 2014. You may seem not to approve some of this idea, but please correct me if I am wrong. Most of the things contain here were based on my own opinion. I am very welcome to some ideas that you may share on this subject matter. Thank you and hope it will be a help for those people in search for the same studies.
Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem found in trigger material.PBL enables the students to consolidate their knowledge , stimulate their creativity , critical thinking and communication and problem solving skills.
Introduction
Objectives
Definitions of Teaching
The concept of Effective Teaching
Role of Teacher for Conducive Learning Environment
Characteristics of an Effective Teacher
The Concepts of Teaching Methodologies, Strategies, and Techniques
Exercise
Self Assessment Questions
References
It discribes about what is unit plan, definition of unit plan, Characteristics of a Good Unit, Steps in Unit Planning - i. Content analysis, ii. Objectives and specifications, iii. Learning activities & iv. Testing procedures. MODEL UNIT PLANNING, Advantages of Unit Planning & CONCLUSION.
This post is based on my field study that I did conduct for the three quarters of the year 2014. You may seem not to approve some of this idea, but please correct me if I am wrong. Most of the things contain here were based on my own opinion. I am very welcome to some ideas that you may share on this subject matter. Thank you and hope it will be a help for those people in search for the same studies.
Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem found in trigger material.PBL enables the students to consolidate their knowledge , stimulate their creativity , critical thinking and communication and problem solving skills.
Introduction
Objectives
Definitions of Teaching
The concept of Effective Teaching
Role of Teacher for Conducive Learning Environment
Characteristics of an Effective Teacher
The Concepts of Teaching Methodologies, Strategies, and Techniques
Exercise
Self Assessment Questions
References
It discribes about what is unit plan, definition of unit plan, Characteristics of a Good Unit, Steps in Unit Planning - i. Content analysis, ii. Objectives and specifications, iii. Learning activities & iv. Testing procedures. MODEL UNIT PLANNING, Advantages of Unit Planning & CONCLUSION.
Pievani T, Serrelli E (2012). From molecules to ecology and back: the hierarchy theory view of speciation. Paper at I Congreso de la Asociación Iberoamericana de Filosofía de la Biología, Valencia, Spain, November 28th-30th.
http://www.epistemologia.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=147:the-hierarchy-theory-view-of-speciation&catid=24&Itemid=143
Michigan\'s Future: It\'s all about lifestylesBuzz Brown
Thousands of Michigan’s educated youth are leaving the state. This presentation identifies the life styles of previous inhabitants of the area; Native Americans, Farmers, Vacationers and now Suburbanites. It studies why these people came here and what facilitated their movement. From lessons learned it is proposed that life styles is the motivating factor and a key for keeping and attracting people to Michigan in the future.
Supported experiments dissemination conference 2014: Coleg Sir Gar presentationSylvia Davies MCIPR
Supported experiments dissemination conference held 27 March 2014 by ColegauCymru / CollegesWales with the support of the Welsh Government and the active participation of further education colleges across Wales.
This study investigated the comparative effectiveness of pedagogical pattern of running a course and talk-chalk methods on senior secondary school students’ achievement in waves. It is triggered by reports of persistent students’ low achievement in physics contributed largely by students’ poor performance in waves-related items. It adopted the quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. Three research questions and hypotheses guided the study. There were 216 students who participated in the study. Physics Achievement Test (PAT) containing 50 multiple-choice researcher-developed items were used as instrument for data collection. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Results showed that: the pedagogical pattern of running a course method was superior method in fostering students’ achievement in waves; female students achieved higher than male students using pedagogical pattern of running a course strategy to teach waves; and there was no significant interaction effect of teaching methods and gender on students’ achievement in waves. From the findings, it was recommended that the pedagogical pattern of running a course strategy should be used in teaching physics in secondary school education system and in training of teachers.
Some Problems of Formation of Scientific Competencies Based on Studying Probl...ijtsrd
The article discusses the role of physics in the formation of students scientific outlook in general secondary schools, understanding the nature of physical phenomena and laws through in depth observation, increasing student activity and interest in science, and solving problems in computation. T. O. Buzrukov "Some Problems of Formation of Scientific Competencies Based on Studying Problems in Physics" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-6 | Issue-3 , April 2022, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd49600.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/education/49600/some-problems-of-formation-of-scientific-competencies-based-on-studying-problems-in-physics/t-o-buzrukov
Conceptions and Reasonings of Beninese Learners in Solving Physics Problems I...inventionjournals
In this work, we describe the modes of reasoning of the learners in order to resolve two types of problems and involving the object "acceleration" in a scientific context and the object "rapidity" in an empirical context or everyday life. These learners are young Beninese students with a scientific G.C.E.A.Level and who have been trained according to the competency approach by qualified teachers with at least five years of experience and with course materials authorized by the inspection directorate education and secondary education. From the different analyzes (lexical and sequential), it emerges that in the resolution of these problems, the concepts, rules and formulas mobilized by these learners appear as concepts and theorems-in-act (Vergnaud, 1994) Categorized profiles and according to the contexts of investigation. Different modes of reasoning stem from their distances from the design intended for the object of investigation. If, according to Rey, Defrance and Kahn (2006) and Carette (2009), reasonings and conceptions are indispensable to be competent, it seems to us that the didactic choices prescribed by the actors of the Beninese education system in the implementation of this new approach will allow Difficult to achieve the objectives of the change of approach.
Effects of Active Learning Strategies in Teaching Physicsijtsrd
The study utilized a quasi experimental method of the pretest posttest design with the pre selected groupings for the control and experimental groups. The study used validated researcher constructed pretest posttest questionnaires, online distance learning plans, attitude surveys, and focus group discussion questionnaires to determine the students performance. The study was conducted at a private high school in Cebu City. Both experimental and control groups underwent a pretest before implementing the proposed interventions. The studys findings showed the following results a both control and experimental groups manifested Above Average performance in the pretest and posttest b there was a significant mean improvement in the student’s performance in Physics in both experimental and control groups c there was no significant difference in the mean improvement in Physics between the experimental and control groups, and d the experimental group showed a very positive level of attitude towards the use of active learning strategies in teaching Physics. Based on the findings of the study, the integration of active learning strategies to the group with less teacher presence acts only as facilitator proved to be as effective as the group who received explicit teaching from the teacher in teaching Physics. In addition, it did not only enhance the students’ performance as manifested by their comparable performance with the other group but was also influential in developing a positive attitude that affected their performance. The theories of Direct Instruction by Siegfried Engelmann and Douglas Carnine believe that teacher centered teaching strategies are effective in teaching Physics since the teacher explicitly teaches and helps the students understand the lessons. Constructivism Learning by Jean Piaget states that involving the students actively and exposing them to activities that will engage them in the teaching and learning process by interacting with their actual experiences were confirmed by this studys findings. The study advises curriculum designers to provide several active learning activities that encourage student engagement and participation and apply dynamic teaching techniques in Physics instruction. Additionally, to help them overcome the challenge, students should be offered various learning methodologies, and future researchers should conduct a comparative study on face to face training. Nikko C. Catarina "Effects of Active Learning Strategies in Teaching Physics" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-6 | Issue-7 , December 2022, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd52598.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/physics/other/52598/effects-of-active-learning-strategies-in-teaching-physics/nikko-c-catarina
Levels of Conceptual Understanding and Problem Solving Skills of Physics Teac...ijtsrd
The study aimed to determine the level of conceptual understanding and problem solving skills of Physics teachers in Kinematics. The study utilized a convergent parallel mixed method research design to collect quantitative and qualitative data. A validated researcher made tool was used in conducting the study. The study was administered to 44 public high school Science teachers in Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines, that are teaching Science at any grade level regardless of their field of specialization. Based on the findings of the study, most of the Physics teachers were female, General Science majors, and have 1 to 5 years of Science teaching experience. The overall level of conceptual understanding among Physics teachers was Developing, while their level of problem solving skills was Approaching Proficiency. The relationship between the level of conceptual understanding and the level of problem solving skills revealed a significant correlation. Moreover, teachers encountered difficulties in understanding and teaching Kinematics, applying mathematical skills, developing students’ interests in Physics, and time allotment. Physics content knowledge is crucial in understanding Kinematics while integrating concepts with problems. This supported Lee Shulman’s Content Knowledge theory and Jerome Bruner’s Constructivism theory which emphasized the teachers’ quality of teaching such as possessing a higher conceptual understanding and problem solving skills in Kinematics as it affects the teacher’s quality of instructions and students’ performances in Physics. The researcher recommended that curriculum specialists and school administrators shall provide training for teachers, especially non Physics majors, to enhance their conceptual and mathematical skills in Kinematics. Further studies may be conducted for out of field Physics teaching and students’ conceptual understanding and problem solving skills in Kinematics or other Science related concepts. Apple Kae R. Lumantao "Levels of Conceptual Understanding and Problem-Solving Skills of Physics Teachers in Kinematics" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-6 | Issue-7 , December 2022, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd52589.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/physics/other/52589/levels-of-conceptual-understanding-and-problemsolving-skills-of-physics-teachers-in-kinematics/apple-kae-r-lumantao
INTERPRETING PHYSICS TEACHERS’ FEEDBACK COMMENTS ON STUDENTS’ SOLUTIOijejournal
This paper investigates teachers’ intentions, when providing their feedback comments to hypothetical
students’ written solutions to linear motion tasks. To obtain an in-depth understanding of the teachers’
thinking when responding to student written solutions, a qualitative case study approach was employed
using two different data sources: a Problem Centred Questionnaire (PCQ) and a Problem Centred
Interview (PCI). Data processing was conducted in two main phases: Initial and Comparative. In both
phases we explored patterns about teachers’ foci across student strategies and motion tasks. A main finding
of this research is to categorising teachers’ interpretations and feedback on student solutions, based on the
extent of teachers’ attentions to Student Thinking and Disciplinary Thinking. This analysis approach
refines the previously held view that a high level of teacher content knowledge, and a concurrent focus to
both ‘student thinking’ and ‘disciplinary thinking’ are required to provide meaningful feedback on student
solutions. The findings indicated that their level of teachers’ propositional
Metacognitive Strategies: Instructional Approaches in Teaching and Learning o...IJAEMSJORNAL
The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of the metacognitive strategies as instructional approaches in teaching and learning of Basic Calculus. A number of 48 students consisting of 24 boys and 24 girls were purposively sampled in this study. Pretest-posttest quasi experimental research design was used which applied t-test and descriptive statistics. Both groups were subject to two instruments that were comprised of problem-solving test (pretest and posttest) and observation guide. Experimental group was taught Basic Calculus using metacognitive strategies while the control group was taught Basic Calculus using traditional teaching strategies. Both groups were subject to a pretest. Class observation was done while the two teaching strategies were applied. In the end, the posttest was administered to both groups to identify the effectiveness of the two teaching strategies. The data gathered were treated using paired sample t-test and independent sample t-test. The results of the study showed that the experimental group had significantly higher posttest scores as compared to control group which proved that metacognitive teaching strategies were more effective in improving the performance and problem-solving skills of the students than the traditional teaching strategies. It was also observed that students who taught using metacognitive strategies helped the students to be extremely engaged in Basic Calculus lessons cognitively, behaviorally, and affectively. The study reveals that the significant increase of the students’ learning engagement in Basic Calculus lessons led the students to a corresponding increase in their posttest scores.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
Safalta Digital marketing institute in Noida, provide complete applications that encompass a huge range of virtual advertising and marketing additives, which includes search engine optimization, virtual communication advertising, pay-per-click on marketing, content material advertising, internet analytics, and greater. These university courses are designed for students who possess a comprehensive understanding of virtual marketing strategies and attributes.Safalta Digital Marketing Institute in Noida is a first choice for young individuals or students who are looking to start their careers in the field of digital advertising. The institute gives specialized courses designed and certification.
for beginners, providing thorough training in areas such as SEO, digital communication marketing, and PPC training in Noida. After finishing the program, students receive the certifications recognised by top different universitie, setting a strong foundation for a successful career in digital marketing.
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
1. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol 2, No 6, 2011
Improving physics problem solving skills of students of
Somanya Senior High Secondary Technical School in the Yilo
Krobo District of Eastern Region of Ghana
Kodjo Donkor Taale (Corresponding Author)
Department of Physics Education
University of Education, Winneba
P.O. Box 25
Winneba, Ghana
Email: ktaale@yahoo.com /kdtaale@uew.edu.gh
Abstract
The main objective of the study was to improve the problem solving skills of physics
students and for that matter increase their interest in physics and science at large. The main instrument used
to collect data was test items. The test items consisted of pre-test and post-test items. A population of 16
students was involved in the study. Duration of four weeks’ intervention plan with the class using an
innovative method of teaching problem solving strategy was employed. The data collected from pre-test
and post-test were analyzed using frequency counts and percentages. The post-test analysis manifested that
there had been an improvement in the way students solve physics problems. The perception of the students
that physics is too difficult appeared to have waned. Students who once feared solving physics problems
now ask for more exercises and assignments after the lesson has been taught.
Key words: Physics problem solving skills, West African Examinations Council, metacognition,
heuristics, Competent Problem Solver Method, understanding basic mechanics method, experts and
novices’ approach to problem solving, action research.
1.0 Background to the study
In Ghana, relatively few students take physics as an elective subject at the Senior High School level
although, as Piaget (1977) would suggest, young adolescents have the cognitive abilities to master concepts
in Physics. According to Piaget (1977), cognitive development proceeded in four qualitatively different
stages. The last stage, formal operations, is typically reached after about the age of 11 years. During this
stage, adolescents’ thinking becomes abstract and symbolic and they develop reasoning skills and a sense
of hypothetical concepts. Thus, Senior High School students, whose average age is about 16-18 years,
should have the cognitive abilities, experience and knowledge in problem solving abilities to account for
differences between experts and novices.
Problem solving involves at least three dimensions: (a) domain knowledge, (b) problem-solving methods,
and (c) characteristics of problem solvers (Ronning, McCurdy& Ballinger 1984). First, rich domain
knowledge (knowledge schema) allows experts to classify problems more readily and thus guide their
solutions in a more efficient and skilled way. Because novices tend to lack such a developed schema, they
are more likely to search in an undirected fashion for a solution. Second, evidence suggests that junior high
school students do not profit from a general problem-solving strategy (Ronning et al. 1984). Rather, they
may benefit more from a hands-on approach to teaching science. Good problem solvers tend to gain from
personal experience and general knowledge, from being able to use analogies, and from metacognitive
skills. The problem with most Physics teachers is that they hope to impart knowledge that can be applied to
situations other than those that were directly taught. This objective is tempered by persistent results of
studies showing that experience with particular problems often yields little or no transfer to similar
problems.
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2. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol 2, No 6, 2011
Successful physics students are those students who understand complex physics formulae in basic terms
(Sherin 2001). Understanding the fundamental building blocks of physics and being able to transfer them to
understand complex formulas permits students to gain the understanding and flexibility necessary for
transference of knowledge to other problems in physics. Research on Newtonian mechanics problem
solving suggests that undergraduate students can be adept at solving traditional quantitative physics
problems while still having an extremely poor conceptual or qualitative understanding of the principles
involved (Halloun & Hestenes 1985).
Physics by its very nature is exceptionally quantitative. It teaches students to try to reduce problems to
exercise already in memory or available from outside sources. Thus, it is concerned mainly with
determining what 'recipe' to use in solving a problem. Students are first taught a number of important
"paradigm" problems and given enough training in their use that, the paradigm problems become exercises.
When presented with a physical situation, the students are instructed to construct a model of the situation;
the simplest description which adequately describes the problem. Once the problem has been modeled, the
student chooses which exercise in his or her textbook is best for solving it. In short, what it means is that,
when a problem is given, figure out what kind of physics you need to solve the problem, and solve it.
Deceptively simple, it is what experts do. The real work begins with finding a way to train students in this.
While a great majority of daily experience involves
problems that can be solved by referring to what is known already, not all problems can be solved this way.
Problem solving is an instructional method, where students are allowed unlimited opportunities to
demonstrate mastery of content taught. This involves breaking down the subject matter to be learned into
units of learning, each with its own objectives. The strategy allows students to study material unit after
unit until they master it (Dembo 1994). Mastery of each unit is shown when the student acquires the set
pass mark of a diagnostic test. Hence the method helps the student to acquire prerequisite skills to move to
the next unit. The use of Problem solving in teaching Physics in senior high schools is likely to help
improve their academic achievement. Also, in most researches in introductory-level science education, it
has been realized that for students to gain conceptual understanding, the instructor must teach conceptual
understanding to focus on what concepts students have of the world around them, and on finding ways to
bring these concepts in line with those held by physicists (Van Demelon 2008). According to Bogdanov &
Kjurshunov (1998), as far as education and teaching are concerned, problem solving is one of the best
ways to involve students in the thinking operations of analysis, synthesis and evaluation which are
considered as high-order cognitive skills. This is the purpose of this study, which intends to add to the body
of knowledge on how problem solving skills could effectively be used to enhance students’ understanding
of concepts in physics in Ghanaian Senior High Schools.
1.1 Statement of the problem
One of the most continual problems in learning physics is the perceived difficulty encountered by students
when solving physics problems. This persists due to students' lack of proper and effective methods to
tackle these problems. Most topics in physics such as mechanics, optics, electricity and several others
involve problems which can be solved simply and effectively using proper problem solving methods. The
Competent Problems’ Solver and Understanding Basic Mechanics are examples of proper problem solving
methods. According to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the Regional body charged with
organizing examinations in English speaking countries in the West African Sub-region, Chief Examiners'
Report on WAEC West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) Physics Examination (2003-
2006), physics is gradually phasing out and if care is not taken, it will be very difficult to get adequate
competent teachers to effectively handle the subject. It appears there is a high negative impression that
physics is too difficult and as such few students are pursuing it at various levels of academic discipline.
Physics is perceived to be difficult due to lack of proper problem solving strategies. Specifically, most of
the candidates had problems in: (i) data analysis in terms of drawing graphs to illustrate given physical
phenomena; definitions and explanations of physics concepts; not being able to distinguish between the
‘situation’ in which certain physical phenomena occur and the ‘uses’ of such phenomena; failing to read
the question very well before attempting to answer it; and weak mathematical background. The above
mentioned observations concerning the study of physics have prompted this study to find out possible
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3. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol 2, No 6, 2011
interventions to improve on the problem solving skills of physics students.
1.2 Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study.
1. Will the use of the competent problem solver and the understanding of basic mechanics methods of
solving physics problems make students competent problem solvers?
2. Will the use of the competent problem solver and the understanding of basic mechanics methods of
solving physics problems increase the interest of students in physics?
2.0 How to tackle and solve physics problems
Researchers in physics have come out with various ways of tackling and solving problems
in physics, two of which are heuristic and metacognition.
2.1 Heuristic
A heuristic is a rule of thumb. It is a strategy that is both powerful and general, but not absolutely guaranteed
to work. Simon, Langley & Bradshaw (1980) gave some examples of heuristics and these include “working
backward.” This heuristic suggests the problem solver to first consider the ultimate goal. From there, the
problem solver decides what would constitute a reasonable step just prior to reaching that goal. Beginning
with the end, the problem solver builds a “strategic bridge backward and eventually reaches the initial
conditions of the problem”. Heller & Hollabaugh (1992) opine that, two factors can help make one a better
physics problem solver. He or she must first of all understand the principles of physics, and secondly, must
have a strategy for applying these principles to new situations in which physics can be helpful.
2.2 Metacognition
Although heuristics helps a problem solver break down a problem into more manageable pieces, the
challenge becomes one of managing the sub-goals. Davidson, Deuser & Sternberg (1994) regarded such
goal management as a central feature of problem solving, and is an example of a more general phenomenon
of self-monitoring known as metacognition. Metacognition has been described in many ways. Flavell
(1976, p.232) described metacognition as: “… one’s knowledge concerning one’s own cognitive processes
and products or anything related to them. Metacognition refers, among other things, to the active monitoring
and consequent regulation and orchestration of these processes in relation to the cognitive objects on which
they bear, usually in the service of some concrete goal or objective.” It is not always easy to distinguish
what is metacognitive and what is cognitive. One way of viewing the relationship between them is that
“cognition is involved in doing, whereas metacognition is involved in choosing and planning what to do and
monitoring what is being done” (Schoenfeld 1987). In general, the regulatory aspect of metacognition is
concerned with decisions and strategic activities that one might engage in during the course of working
through a problem. Some examples of such activities include selecting strategies to aid in understanding the
nature of a problem, planning courses of action, selecting appropriate strategies to carry out plans,
monitoring execution activities while implementing strategies, evaluating the outcomes of strategies and
plans, and, when necessary, revising or abandoning non-productive strategies and plans.
2.3 Distinction between experts and novices approach to problem solving
Researchers have found that experts and novices differ considerably in their approaches to problem solving.
This is consistent in all aspects of the problem-solving process. Expert problem solvers differ from novices
in that they possess deep and connected domain knowledge that allows them to identify meaningful
patterns in a problem situation (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking 2000). Novices, on the other hand, tend to
focus on surface features while failing to establish connections between the different issues (Ertmer &
Stepich 2005). According to (Ge & Land 2004, p. 5), ill-structured problems are “those that we encounter
in everyday life, in which one or several aspects of the situation is not well specified, the goals are unclear,
and there is insufficient information to solve them”. Another difference between expert and novice
problem solvers is in the evaluation of the problem-solving process. Experts appear not only to continually
evaluate their progress when solving a problem, but also evaluate the final answer. These evaluation
processes, such as considering limiting cases and checking units, are quite common in experts. Novices, on
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the other hand, do not tend to evaluate their progress, nor are they likely to evaluate their final answer.
Successful problem solvers monitor and evaluate their actions and cognitive processes throughout the entire
problem-solving process, whereas less successful problem solvers often do not.
2.4.0 The problem-solving framework
2.4 The Competent Problem Solver Method
The key component of these instructional strategies is the competent problem solver method is a five-step
structured problem solving strategy as follows:
1. visualize the problem
2. describe the problem in physics terms
3. plan a solution
4. execute the plan
5. check and evaluate
2.4.1 Understanding Basic Mechanics Method
This method has three basic steps: Analyze the Problem, Construct Solution, and Check (and Revise if
need be). The first and third steps are broken down into a list of questions the student needs to ask about the
problem and factors that should be taken into account. The second step, the ‘meat’ of the method, concerns
itself with finding appropriate sub- problems that resemble the exercises the students are already capable of
working, or can easily figure out how to work. In constructing the solution, the student first determines what
needs to be done: is there missing information? Are there unknowns that might be removed by proper
combination of relations? Once that has been determined, the student is helped along the path to
accomplishing the sub-goal. This method is a heuristic method, in that it teaches the student ways of
thinking and learning. In constructing the solution, the student first determines what needs to be done by
asking these self questions: Is there missing information? Are there unknowns that might be removed by
proper combination of relations? Once that has been determined, the student is helped along the path to
accomplishing the sub-goal. Among the two methods described above, it is considerably easier to work with
the competent problem solver method in collaboration with the Understanding Basic Mechanics
Method because of the following reasons: The Competent Problem Solver Method has rigorously shown to
work in group settings where the total class size was small enough that the teacher could effectively manage
the groups (Heller & Hollabaugh 1992). There are sixteen (16) physics students in Somanya Secondary
Technical School; hence it was expedient to apply this method. Also the Competent Problem Solver Method
is used since it teaches a general strategy with emphasis on the specific methods needed for physics
problem-solving. This method helps overall problem-solving skills of students especially in the areas of
focusing the problem and checking the results (Heller & Hollabaugh 1992). Secondly, problem-solving
skills are often a limiting factor on students. They may understand the concept or think they understand it
but are blocked by inability to do the problem itself. Researchers in various fields of science education have
pointed out how students often seem to have great difficulty with problems that are simply concatenations of
several exercises the students can already work ( Bodner 1991). By improving the problem-solving skills of
the student population, it may become easier to spot conceptual difficulties that the students have.
3.0 Methodology
3.1 Research design
This study is an action research aimed at improving the problem solving skills of Form Three physics
students through the use of the competent problem solver method and the understanding basic mechanics
method at Somanya Secondary Technical School. The study, being action research, offered the opportunity
to engage in continuous cycles of planning, acting, observing and reflecting, which generally characterise
action research approaches. McNiff & Whitehead (2002), elaborate on these cycles to describe
spontaneous, self-recreating system of enquiry as a systematic process of observe, describe, plan, act,
reflect, evaluate, modify, but they stress that the process is not linear, but transformational, which allows for
greater fluidity in implementing the process. This systematic process could be presented pictorially in Fig.
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3 1. The action research cycle is generally given as a four-step cycle of reflect → plan → act → observe
(see Fig. 3.1). That is: reflecting on one’s practice and identifying a problem or concern, planning a
strategy or intervention that may solve the problem, acting or carrying out the plan, and finally, observing
the results or collecting the data. It is common for practitioners to follow the observation phase with
reflecting anew, planning and carrying out another intervention, and, again, observing the results,
continually repeating the cycle, continually seeking improvement (Higher Education Academy 2009).
3.2 The study setting
The research was conducted at Somanya Secondary Technical School in the Yilo Krobo District in the
Eastern Region. The school is located at Somanya, about 15km off the Kpong - Accra Road. The school
has a population of eight hundred and seventy-five students which is made of 405 boys and 470 girls. The
school currently runs courses in General Arts, Visual Arts, Science, and Home Economics.
3.3 Population for the study
The target population for the study was all science students in form three at Somanya Secondary Technical
School for the 2010 to 2011 academic year. The entire form three science students were made up of sixteen
(16) students with eleven (11) boys and five (5) girls at that time of the study. The reason why the study
was centered only on Form Three science students was that, the school started to run science as a course
just last two years (i.e. 2009) hence, there was no science class in Form Four. Also, from the new
educational reform, Form One students offer only the core subjects so there were no science students in
Form One.
3.4 Sample
The entire population of form three science classes was used since they were only sixteen (16) in numbers.
3.5 Instrumentation
The researcher used pre-intervention activities such as class works, tests and assignments and a post-
intervention test to collect data for the study. Students were made to take a test which consisted of three
questions in Kinematics after students were taught the concepts. A post-intervention test was conducted to
serve as a check as to whether students really applied the methods and steps they were taught. This test also
consisted of three items similar to items in the pre-test.
3.6.Intervention design
In order to help students to improve upon their problem solving skills in physics, an intervention design
was planned out. Students were engaged in a comprehensive discussion on the steps involved when solving
physics problems using the ‘understanding basic mechanics’ and the ‘competent problem solver’ methods,
using their normal classroom hours, two hours per week for four weeks. After the discussion, a power
point presentation on DVDs, containing the steps in solving physics problems was distributed to students.
Students were taken to the computer room and each had a computer to himself/herself. They observed and
learned the content including the steps involved in solving physics problems. Students were made to repeat
the learning on the power point presentation once every week on their own. This was done such that
students could be familiar with the steps needed for solving problems in physics. Marking of tests were
strictly based on these steps. Those who did not apply the steps or jumped some steps when solving a
problem lost some marks.
3.6.1 Implementation of the intervention
Below is a brief description of the steps followed when using the understanding of basic mechanics method
and the competent problem solver method.
Step 1 – Understand the problem
To really understand the problem, the following sub-steps are needed to be considered.
a. Read the problem carefully.
b. Find the important information.
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c. Write down the known values and the unknown values.
d. Identify what the problem wants you to solve.
e. Ask if your answer is going to be a larger or smaller number compared to what you already know.
This is indicated below as a four step technique (see Fig. 3.2).
Step 2 – Decide how you are going to solve the problem
Decisions on how to solve the problem may depend on your choice of one of the following strategies.
Use a graph Use formulas
Make a list Find a pattern
Work backwards Use reasoning
Draw a diagram Make a table
Act it out
However, in this study the strategy of ‘draw a diagram’ was used.
Step 3 - Solve the problem
Problem is solved by plugging known values into relations or formulas to solve for unknown value.
Step 4 - Look Back and Check
This is done by re-reading the problem and comparing the information from the problem to your work.
After that, ask yourself this question, “Did I solve what the problem asked me to solve?”
In order to ensure that students go by these steps when solving problems, the following grading criteria
were used to assess students on the steps as shown in Table 3.1 (see Table 3.1).
3.6.2 Post intervention activities
A post-intervention test was conducted after the implementation of the intervention activities.
The test was made up of three questions similar to the questions in the pre-intervention test (see
Appendices A & B for the pre-intervention and post-intervention tests). Students’ responses to the
questions were collected, marked and analyzed.
3.7 Method of data analysis
To ensure simple analysis of data for the study, the responses were put into frequency counts and then
converted into percentages. The percentages were used to interpret the result.
4.0 Results and discussions
Tables 4.1 -4.3 below were used to interpret the students’ responses in the test conducted. The number of
students obtaining a particular mark is placed in parenthesis against the mark and the percentage of students
written below in the tables (see Tables 4.1 -4.3).
From all the tables above, averagely, only three (3) students (i.e. 19%) listed all the known and unknown
values in a problem before solving it. The rest of the students (i.e. 81%) failed to list them. Also, it was
noted that, on the average only four (4) student representing 25% made free body diagrams to simplify
problems before solving them. The rest representing 75% failed to draw diagram and this led some of them
to mess up with the right equations needed to solve the problem. Moreover, it was realized that averagely
ten (10) students representing 62.5% could write the appropriate relations and formulas. This served as a
proof of students being conceptually knowledgeable but lacked problem solving skills. On the average,
eight (8) students (i.e. 50%) were finding it difficult to plug in values into equations and perform simple
algebra to find answers to problems. This could be a result of their weak mathematical background.
As for the answer checking, it was done by considering two things. These were numerical reasonability and
validity of the units attached to answers. From the data collected, it was found that, seven (7) students
representing 44% gave reasonable answers in terms of number. The answers given by the remaining 56%
of the students were totally out of range. The cause might be their failure to properly check and analyze
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their answers. Also, only five (5) students (i.e. 31%) were able to attach their answers with correct units.
The remaining eleven (11) students (i.e. 69%) attached wrong units to their answers due to bad problem
solving habit. Their aim probably was to arrive at the answer without thinking about how they came by the
answers. Hence they jumped vital steps, and did serious omissions without showing workings.
4.1 Observations made before the implementation of the intervention
The following observations were made before the implementation of the intervention.
1. Students were found jumping vital steps without showing workings. They arrived at the final
answer without caring about the procedures and steps needed to arrive at that answer. Hence
they lost about half of the total marks for the question.
2. Those who were able to work to the final answer attached wrong units to them and some even
ignored writing the units all together.
3. It was also observed that some students rushed into solving physics problems but got stacked
along the way perhaps due to improper analysis before tackling the problem.
4. Students appeared to forget the steps needed to solve physics problems after they have been
taught.
4.2 Post-intervention results
A post-intervention test was administered to students. The test was conducted to find out whether students
really applied the ‘understanding basic mechanics method’ and the ‘competent problem solver method’ and
the steps needed to solve problems in kinematics. The questions in this test were similar to those in the pre-
intervention test (see Appendix B). The post-intervention questions were well attempted by students and
the marks obtained have been tabulated and analysed below (see Tables 4.4 -4.6).
The result from the tables shows that majority of the students exhibited improved problem solving skills.
The percentage of students obtaining the maximum mark for each step ranges from 75% to 100%. For
instance, averagely, fifteen (15) students representing 94% listed all the known and the unknown values
correctly and made reasonable free body diagrams before carrying on with the solution to the problems.
This might be due to proper analysis made by the students of the problems before tackling them. Listing of
the known and the unknown values and drawing reasonable free body diagrams perhaps simplified the
problems. Hence many students were able to identify the right formulas and equations and were able to
plug in values to solve the problems. Also, an average of fourteen (14) students representing 87.5% was
able to identify and plug values into equations to solve the problems. Thirteen (13) students (i.e. 81%) on
the average gave reasonable answers in terms of number. An average of fourteen (14) students
representing 87.5% attached correct units to their answers.
From the above results, it can be concluded that students have really become competent in solving
problems considering their performance in the post- intervention test.
5.0 Conclusion
The study revealed has revealed that after the implementation of the intervention, students’ problem solving
skills have improved considerably. This was manifested in how students presented their class exercises and
assignments and how they went about solving problems given them. It appears students have developed
interest in solving physics problems since they could remember and use the steps needed to solve the
problems. Hence the perception of the students that physics is too difficult appeared to have waned.
Students who once feared solving physics problems now ask for more exercises and assignments after the
lesson has been taught. Problem solving in physics commonly involves the application of various
mathematical procedures, so teachers should focus on proactive ways of presenting subject material so as to
guide students’ learning efforts, while students strive to become active, self monitoring constructors of
knowledge. This way, the perceived difficulty of physics cannot overshadow its importance in terms of its
usefulness in the society, and by implication increase students’ interest in the subject which will
automatically lead to increase physics enrollment in Ghanaian schools and colleges.
References
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Bodner, G. M. (1991). Toward a Unified Theory of Problem Solving. Hillsdale, NJ; Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates.
Bogdanov, S.R. & Kjurshunov, A.S. (1998). On the analogy between 2-D Electrostatics and
Hydrodynamics. Proceedings of the Third Inter-Karelian Conference (pp. 61-66). Petrozavodsk, Russia.
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind,
experience, and school. Washington D.C.: National Academy Press.
Davidson, J. E., Deuser, R., & Sternberg, R. J. (1994). The role of metacognition in problem solving. In J.
Metcalfe & A. P. Shimamura (Eds.), Metacognition: Knowing about knowing (pp. 207-226). Cambridge,
MA: MIT.
Dembo, M.H. (1994). Applying Education Psychology (5th ed.) White Plains, NY: Longman.
Ertmer, P. A., & Stepich, D. A. (2005). Instructional design expertise: How will we know
it when we see it? Educational Technology, 45(6), 38-43.
Flavell, J. H. (1976). Metacognitive aspects of problem solving. In L. B. Resnick (Ed.), The nature of
intelligence (pp. 31-35). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Ge, X., & Land S. M. (2004). A conceptual framework for scaffolding ill-structured
problem solving processes using question prompts and peer interactions.
Educational Technology Research and Development, 52(2), 5-22.
Halloun, I., and D. Hestenes, 1985. The initial knowledge state of college physics students. American
Journal of Physics 66: 64–74.
Heller, P. & Hollabaugh, M. (1992). Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping. American
Journal of physics. 60 (7). (Part 2), 637-644
Higher Education Academy, (2009). Action research cycle. Retrieved September 26, 2009
from http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/hlst/documents/heinfe_exchange/act_
McNiff, J., & Whitehead, J. (2002). Action research: Principles and practice (2nd ed.).
London: Routledge.
Piaget, J. 1977. The Development of Thought: Equilibration of Cognitive Structure. New York, Viking.
Ronning, R. R., D. McCurdy, and R. Ballinger. 1984. Individual differences: A third component in
problem-solving instruction. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 21: 71–82.
Schoenfeld, A. H. (1987). What's all the fuss about metacognition? In A. H. Schoenfeld (Ed.), Cognitive
science and mathematics education (pp. 189-215). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Simon, H., Langley, P.W. and Bradshaw, G.L. (1980). Scientific discovery as problem solving. C.I.P. 424:
Carnegie-Mellon University.
Sherin, B. 2001. How students understand physics equations. Cognition and Instruction 19(4): 479– 541.
Van Domelen, D. (2008). Problem-Solving Strategies: Mapping and prescriptive Methods. Department of
Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 43210
Notes
Fig. 3.1. Action Research Cycle (From: McNiff & Whitehead 2002).
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Fig. 3.1. Action Research Cycle (From: McNiff & Whitehead 2002). The action research cycle is
generally given as a four-step cycle of reflect → plan → act → observe. That is: reflecting on one’s
practice and identifying a problem or concern, planning a strategy or intervention that may solve the
problem, acting or carrying out the plan, and finally, observing the results or collecting the data.
Fig. 3.2: The four-step technique problem-solving flow chart.
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Fig. 3.2: The four-step technique problem-solving flow chart. This describes the steps to follow to really
understand the problem on hand.
Table 3.1. Grading criteria in assessing students.
Required Steps Mark
Draw a Free Body Diagram 1
List all the Known’s and the Unknowns 1
Select useful relations, formulas or equations 2
Plug in givens and solve for unknown 2
Numerically reasonable 2
Answer checking
Dimensionally consistent 2
Table 3.1: Marking scheme used to assess students’ work
Table 4.1: Frequencies and percentages of marks obtained by students for question one in the
pre-intervention test.
Marks obtained
Requirements
0 1 2
List all the Known’s and the Unknowns 0 (12) 1 (4) -
75% 25%
Draw a Free Body Diagram 0 (11) 1 (5) -
69% 31%
Select useful relations, formulas or equations 0 (8) - 2 (8)
50% 50%
Plug in known values and solve for unknown value. 0 (9) - 2 (7)
56% 44%
Answer Numerically reasonable 0 (11) - 2 (5)
checking 69% 31%
Dimensionally consistent 0 (13) - 2 (3)
81% 19%
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Table 4.1: Interpretation of students’ performance in Question 1 on the pre-intervention test.
Table 4.2: Frequencies and percentages of marks obtained by students for question two in the
pre-intervention test.
Marks obtained
Requirements
0 1 2
List all the Known’s and the Unknowns 0 (13) 1 (3) -
81% 19%
Draw a Free Body Diagram 0 (12) 1 (4) -
75% 25%
Select useful relations, formulas or equations 0 (7) - 2 (9)
44% 56%
Plug in known values and solve for unknown 0 (9) - 2 (7)
56% 44%
Answer Numerically reasonable 0 (10) - 2 (6)
checking 62.5% 37.5%
Dimensionally consistent 0 (12) - 2 (4)
75% 25%
Table 4.2: Interpretation of students’ performance in Question 2 on the pre-intervention test.
Table 4.3: Frequencies and percentages of marks obtained by students for question three in the
pre-intervention test.
Marks obtained
Requirements
0 1 2
List all the known’s and the Unknowns 0 (13) 1 (3) -
81% 19%
Draw a Free Body Diagram 0 (14) 1(2) -
87.5% 12.5%
Select useful relations, formulas or equations 0 (2) - 2 (14)
12.5% 87.5%
Plug in known values and solve for unknown 0 (7) - 2 (9)
44% 56%
Answer Numerically reasonable 0 (6) - 2 (10)
checking 37.5% 62.5%
Dimensionally consistent 0 (7) - 2 (9)
44% 56%
Table 4.3: Interpretation of students’ performance in Question 3 on the pre-intervention test.
Table 4.4: Frequencies and percentages of marks obtained by students for question one in the
post-intervention test.
Requirements Marks obtained
0 1 2
List all the Known’s and the Unknowns 0 (1) 1(15) -
6% 94%
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Draw a Free Body Diagram 0 (1) 1(15) -
6% 94%
Select useful relations, formulas or equations 0 (2) - 2 (14)
12.5% 87.5%
Plug in known values and solve for unknown 0 (3) - 2 (13)
19% 81%
Answer Numerically reasonable 0 (2) - 2 (14)
checking 12.5% 87.5%
Dimensionally consistent 0 (2) - 2 (14)
12.5% 87.5%
Table 4.4: Interpretation of students’ performance in Question 1 on the post-intervention test.
Table 4.5: Frequencies and percentages of marks obtained by students for question two in the
post-intervention test.
Requirements Marks obtained
0 1 2
List all the Known’s and the Unknowns 0 (0) 1 (16) -
0% 100%
Draw a Free Body Diagram 0 (1) 1(15) -
6% 94%
Select useful relations, formulas or equations 0 (2) - 2 (14)
12.5% 87.5%
Plug in known values and solve for unknown 0 (2) - 2 (14)
12.5% 87.5%
Answer Numerically reasonable 0 (4) - 2 (12)
checking 25% 75%
Dimensionally consistent 0 (2) - 2 (14)
12.5% 87.5%
Table 4.5: Interpretation of students’ performance in Question 2 on the post-intervention test.
Table 4.6: Frequencies and percentages of marks obtained by students for question three in the
post-intervention test.
Requirements Marks obtained
0 1 2
List all the Known’s and the Unknowns 0 (1) 1(15) -
6% 94%
Draw a Free Body Diagram 0 (1) 1(15) -
6% 94%
Select useful relations, formulas or equations 0 (1) - 2 (15)
6% 94 %
Plug in known values and solve for unknown 0 (2) - 2 (14)
12.5% 87.5%
Answer Numerically reasonable 0 (4) - 2 (12)
checking 25% 75%
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Dimensionally consistent 0 (1) - 2 (15)
6% 94%
Table 4.6: Interpretation of students’ performance in Question 3 on the post-intervention test.
Appendix A
Pre-intervention test items
1. A particle moving in a straight line with uniform deceleration has a velocity of 40ms -1 at
a point P, 20ms-1 at a point Q and comes to rest at a point R where QR= 50m. Calculate the
distance covered.
2. A stone is dropped down a well. If it takes 5s to reach the surface of the water, how deep
is the well? (Take g= 10ms-2)
3. A particle is projected from the ground level with speed of 30ms-1 at an angle of 30o to
the horizontal. Calculate the:
i. time of flight
ii. Range
iii. time taken to reach the maximum height
iv. greatest height [Take g=10ms-2]
Appendix B
Post-intervention test items
1. A particle started from rest at a point R and moves with a uniform acceleration. It
attained a velocity of 20ms-1 at point Q and 40ms-1 at point P. if the distance covered from R to Q
is 50m; calculate the distance covered from Q to P.
2. A stone is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 50ms -1, if it takes 5s to
reach the maximum height, calculate the maximum height covered. (Take g= 10ms -2).
3. A particle is projected from the ground level with speed of 30ms -1 at an angle of 30o to
the horizontal. Calculate the:
i. time of flight
ii. range
iii. time taken to reach the maximum height
iv. greatest height [Take g=10ms-2]
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