Session:
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PER: Student Reasoning
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Paper Type:
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Contributed
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Title:
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Modeling Student Understanding of Period, Frequency, and Angular Frequency
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Meeting:
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2017 Summer Meeting: Cincinnati, Ohio |
Location:
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N/A |
Date:
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Time:
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4:30PM
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Author:
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Nicholas T. Young,, The Ohio State University,
4402266633, young.1905@osu.edu
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Co-Author(s):
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Andrew F Heckler
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Abstract:
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Periodic behavior is a fundamental phenomenon in many physical systems; therefore, it is critical that students understand the concepts and relationships that underlie such behavior. Here, we used the context of the behavior of a simple harmonic oscillator to investigate students’ ability to determine the period, frequency, and angular frequency from various mathematical and graphical representations by administering a 36-item test to students in an introductory-calculus-based physics course. We found that students could be classified into one of four groups, according to the question types they mastered. These groups were hierarchically categorized based on the number and kind of relationships each student mastered. For example, we found only students who could correctly apply the period and frequency relationship could also correctly apply any angular frequency relationship. This hierarchical nature of student performance suggests instruction should focus on ensuring that students understand the period and frequency relationship before introducing angular frequency.
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Footnotes:
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None
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Presentation:
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AAPT 17 Nicholas Young.pptx
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