Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-13-2021
Keywords
assessment, scientific reasoning, problem solving, physic education research
Abstract
One desired outcome of introductory physics instruction is that students will develop facility with reasoning quantitatively about physical phenomena. Little research has been done regarding how students develop the algebraic concepts and skills involved in reasoning productively about physics quantities, which is different from either understanding of physics concepts or problem-solving abilities. We introduce the Physics Inventory of Quantitative Literacy (PIQL) as a tool for measuring Quantitative Literacy, a foundation of mathematical reasoning, in the context of introductory physics. We present the development of the PIQL and evidence of its validity for use in calculus-based introductory physics courses. Unlike concept inventories, the PIQL is a reasoning inventory, and can be used to assess reasoning over the span of students’ instruction in introductory physics. Although mathematical reasoning associated with the PIQL is taught in prior mathematics courses, pretest and post-test scores reveal that this reasoning is not readily used by most students in physics, nor does it develop as part of physics instruction—even in courses that use high-quality, research-based curricular materials. As has been the case with many inventories in physics education, we expect use of the PIQL to support the development of instructional strategies and materials—in this case, designed to meet the course objective that all students become quantitatively literate in introductory physics.
Publication Title
Physical Review Physics Education Research
Volume
17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.17.020129
Recommended Citation
Haskell, T., Borda, E., & Boudreaux, A. (2022). Cross-disciplinary learning index: A quantitative measure of cross-disciplinary learning about energy. Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res., 18(1), 010108. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.010108 White Brahmia, S., Olsho, A., Smith, T. I., & Boudreaux, A. (2020). Framework for the natures of negativity in introductory physics. Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res., 16(1), 010120. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.16.010120 White Brahmia, S., Olsho, A., Smith, T. I., Boudreaux, A., Eaton, P., & Zimmerman, C. (2021). Physics Inventory of Quantitative Literacy: A tool for assessing mathematical reasoning in introductory physics. Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res., 17(2), 020129. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.17.020129
Subjects - Topical (LCSH)
Physics--Methodology; Algebraic logic; Research
Genre/Form
articles
Type
Text
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
