15.7 Conclusions
We would like to outline that the results obtained here for FCI could not be
generalised to all Concept Inventories (CIs). At the same time, we think that ClA
applied to CIs can be useful at the level of the classroom. For instance, we see the use
of CIs as diagnostic instruments that could be useful to connect instruction with
student ideas on a more fine-grained level and to help them in developing pedagogical approaches that target the ideas in classes. Specifically, we found that a
fundamental role in the correct analysis of mechanics problems is given by the
concept of force, investigated using student ability to individuate forces acting in
statics and dynamical contexts.
Educational implications from our results can be also drawn. These mostly point
to the relevance for teachers and instructors to be aware that students’ difficulties
with the ideas of force and motion mainly arise from their difficulty in understanding
the ontological status of the force concept in physics (Jammer 1957). The contexts
supplied by FCI items can provide teachers with useful examples, as well as the
acknowledgement of reasoning strategies used by physicists in the historical development of force and motion concepts (Jammer 1957). Teaching approaches to
Newtonian mechanics can be implemented by thinking that student alternative
conceptions and mainly their reasoning strategies applied in different mechanical
contexts can make the students able to speed up their mastering of such an important
theoretical framework.
References
Bao L, Redish EF (2006) Model analysis: representing and assessing the dynamics of student
learning. Phys Rev ST Phys Educ Res 2:010103
Bao L, Hogg K, Zollman D (2002) Model analysis of fine structures of students models: an example
with Newton’s third law. Am J Phys 70:766
Battaglia OR, Di Paola B (2015) A quantitative method to analyse an open-ended questionnaire: a
case study about the Boltzmann Factor. Nuovo Cimento Soc Ital Fis C 38(3)
Battaglia OR, Di Paola B, Fazio C (2017a) K-means clustering to study how student reasoning lines
can be modified by a learning activity based on feynman’s unifying approach. EURASIA J
Math Sci Technol Educ 13(6)
Battaglia OR, Di Paola B, Fazio C (2017b) A quantitative analysis of educational data through the
comparison between hierarchical and not-hierarchical clustering. EURASIA J Math Sci Technol
Educ 13(8)
Battaglia OR, Di Paola B, Adorno DP, Pizzolato N, Fazio C (2019) Evaluating the effectiveness of
modelling-oriented workshops for engineering undergraduates in the field of thermally activated
phenomena. Res Sci Educ 49(5):1395–1413
Borg I, Groenen P (1997) Modern multidimensional scaling. Springer, New York, NY
Brewe E, Bruun J, Bearden IG (2016) Using module analysis for multiple choice responses: a new
method applied to Force Concept Inventory data. Phys Rev Phys Educ Res 12:020131
Brookes DT, Etkina E (2009) “Force,” ontology, and language. Phys Rev Spec Top Phys Educ Res
5(1)
Calinski T, Harabasz J (1974) A dendrite method for cluster analysis. Commun Stat 3(1):1–27
15 Freshman Engineering’ Reasoning Strategies When Answering FCI. . .
199
We would like to outline that the results obtained here for FCI could not be
generalised to all Concept Inventories (CIs). At the same time, we think that ClA
applied to CIs can be useful at the level of the classroom. For instance, we see the use
of CIs as diagnostic instruments that could be useful to connect instruction with
student ideas on a more fine-grained level and to help them in developing pedagogical approaches that target the ideas in classes. Specifically, we found that a
fundamental role in the correct analysis of mechanics problems is given by the
concept of force, investigated using student ability to individuate forces acting in
statics and dynamical contexts.
Educational implications from our results can be also drawn. These mostly point
to the relevance for teachers and instructors to be aware that students’ difficulties
with the ideas of force and motion mainly arise from their difficulty in understanding
the ontological status of the force concept in physics (Jammer 1957). The contexts
supplied by FCI items can provide teachers with useful examples, as well as the
acknowledgement of reasoning strategies used by physicists in the historical development of force and motion concepts (Jammer 1957). Teaching approaches to
Newtonian mechanics can be implemented by thinking that student alternative
conceptions and mainly their reasoning strategies applied in different mechanical
contexts can make the students able to speed up their mastering of such an important
theoretical framework.
References
Bao L, Redish EF (2006) Model analysis: representing and assessing the dynamics of student
learning. Phys Rev ST Phys Educ Res 2:010103
Bao L, Hogg K, Zollman D (2002) Model analysis of fine structures of students models: an example
with Newton’s third law. Am J Phys 70:766
Battaglia OR, Di Paola B (2015) A quantitative method to analyse an open-ended questionnaire: a
case study about the Boltzmann Factor. Nuovo Cimento Soc Ital Fis C 38(3)
Battaglia OR, Di Paola B, Fazio C (2017a) K-means clustering to study how student reasoning lines
can be modified by a learning activity based on feynman’s unifying approach. EURASIA J
Math Sci Technol Educ 13(6)
Battaglia OR, Di Paola B, Fazio C (2017b) A quantitative analysis of educational data through the
comparison between hierarchical and not-hierarchical clustering. EURASIA J Math Sci Technol
Educ 13(8)
Battaglia OR, Di Paola B, Adorno DP, Pizzolato N, Fazio C (2019) Evaluating the effectiveness of
modelling-oriented workshops for engineering undergraduates in the field of thermally activated
phenomena. Res Sci Educ 49(5):1395–1413
Borg I, Groenen P (1997) Modern multidimensional scaling. Springer, New York, NY
Brewe E, Bruun J, Bearden IG (2016) Using module analysis for multiple choice responses: a new
method applied to Force Concept Inventory data. Phys Rev Phys Educ Res 12:020131
Brookes DT, Etkina E (2009) “Force,” ontology, and language. Phys Rev Spec Top Phys Educ Res
5(1)
Calinski T, Harabasz J (1974) A dendrite method for cluster analysis. Commun Stat 3(1):1–27
15 Freshman Engineering’ Reasoning Strategies When Answering FCI. . .
199