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Location:
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KFC Courts |
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Date:
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Tuesday, Aug.2 |
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Time:
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5:15 PM -6:00 PM
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Author:
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Adrian Madsen, Kansas State University
7855321612, adrianc@phys.ksu.edu
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Co-Author(s):
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Amy Rouinfar , Tram Do Ngoc Hoang , N. Sanjay Rebello
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Abstract:
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Several studies have investigated differences in students' learning with physical and virtual manipulatives. However, not as many studies have looked into the process by which any differences in learning occur. In this study, we look closely at the process of conceptual change as students interact with either physical or virtual pulley systems. Students in five conceptual physics laboratory classes investigated various pulleys systems over two consecutive laboratory classes, each nearly two hours long. Half of the students in each class learned with a computer simulation while the other half used actual pulleys, strings, and weights. All students were given identical instructions that prompted them to construct their own understanding of pulley systems by comparing and testing different systems. We report on how students' ideas about pulleys changed as they progressed through the activities and compare learning with physical and virtual manipulatives.
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Footnotes:
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This work is supported in part by U.S. Dept. of Education IES grant award R305A080507
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