02/09/09

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• Research Description

• Problem Solving Rubric Categories

• Download the Rubric

• Research Documents

Research Description:

My Ph.D. dissertation topic is problem solving assessment, and my thesis adviser is Dr. Ken Heller. I am revising a problem solving scoring rubric to evaluate written solutions to physics problems that was used in previous research at the University of Minnesota.

I completed initial testing of a draft rubric on student and instructor solutions in summer 2007 [see AAPT summer 2007 talk and poster], piloted the instrument with graduate students in fall 2007 - spring 2008 [see AAPT summer 2008 talk and poster], and plan to continue further studies of reliability and validity.

Problem Solving Rubric Categories:

Recent rubric versions evaluate physics problem solving across five dimensions:

1. Useful Description: representing information from the problem statement symbolically, visually, and/or in writing

2. Physics Approach: selecting relevant physics concepts and principles to apply to the problem

3. Specific Application of Physics: applying physics concepts and principles to the specific conditions in the problem

4. Mathematical Procedures: applying math rules and procedures in the context of physics

5. Logical Progression: the overall solution process is clear, focused toward a goal, and logically connected (consistent)

Download the Rubric:

• Rubric version 4.4 (9/16/2008) in Word or PDF

• Rubric version 4.3 (2/25/2008) in Word or PDF

• Rubric version 4.2 (9/25/2007) in Word or PDF

• Rubric version 4.2 reformatted to one page: Word or PDF

• Rubric version 4.1 (7/30/2007) in Word or PDF

• old version of a problem solving scoring rubric

• Description of the five rubric categories in Word or PDF (version 3: October 2007)

Research Documents:

• Preliminary oral exam in December 2006 on "Physics Problem Solving": paper and presentation PDF or PPT

• AAPT 2007 summer conference: abstract, poster, and presentation PDF or PPT

• Pilot Study documents (Fall 2007; rubric version 4.2)

• Mechanics problem instructions for raters, and student solutions (version A)

• E&M problem instructions for raters, and student solutions (version B)

• AAPT 2008 summer conference: abstract, poster, and presentation PDF or PPT or PDF+notes

• Complete reference list in Word or PDF (April 7, 2008)

• Key references in Word or PDF (September 29, 2008)

• Literature review with references for the rubric categories (coming soon)