Board 202: Assessing the Design of an AR-based Physics Exploratorium

Elizabeth Flynn; Molly Horner; Adrian Larios; Ryan Thomas Rios; India Elizabeth Wishart; Janet Bowers; Dustin B. Thoman; Matthew E Anderson

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Tagged Topic: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/46769

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Paper Authors

biography

Elizabeth Flynn San Diego State University

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Elizabeth Flynn is a PhD student in the joint Math and Science Education Doctoral program at San Diego State University/University of California San Diego. She is interested in studying teaching and learning in undergraduate math and science as well as supporting participation and success of women in STEM.

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Dr. Dustin Thoman is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education at San Diego State University. His scholarship is grounded in social psychology, diversity science, and a social contextual framework of motivation. He studies how motivation can be supported or disrupted by the social and cultural contexts in which interests are sparked, developed, and ultimately become (or not) lifelong pursuits. He and his team utilize insights from motivation science to identify and remove institutional and social-contextual barriers that impede the development of educational and career interests for students from marginalized and historically underrepresented backgrounds. Improving equity and inclusion is at the heart of his team's research and translational work to support research on equity and inclusion in STEM education.

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Matthew E Anderson San Diego State University

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Abstract

One reason that students struggle in introductory physics classes, which are often key entry points for STEM majors, is that certain topics are difficult to mentally visualize and manipulate in two dimensions. Vectors and fields, for example, are challenging in their own right, and even more so when presented using static imagery in textbooks or on whiteboards in the classroom. To address this barrier to physics learning, we developed a series of augmented reality (AR)-based environments designed to engage groups of students in explorations of physics phenomena represented in 3D space. In this paper, we present the results of a study on physics learning from the first of our AR environments, which focused on electric charges, from point charges to line and planar charges.

Our research questions and consequent evaluation methods are based on an embodied view of learning wherein all senses--including sight, sound, gesture, and social interactions--are seen as critical components contributing to students’ ongoing sense-making processes. We first present our design cycle model, an iterative process of design and research documenting undergraduate physics students’ interactions with the electric fields environment. Next, we present outcomes from student surveys completed after the learning experience. Analysis of the survey data illustrate that students' initial reactions to the environment were overwhelmingly positive, that most students felt like the experience was beneficial for their learning, and that most students strongly believe it should be used in classrooms.

In addition to the surveys, we recorded and systematically coded the interactive learning sessions. We present results from this qualitative data coding, which demonstrate that this environment creates unique affordances for learning. For example, the embodied experiences of moving one’s hand around an electric field led to new opportunities for perspective taking and modeling the directional behavior of the field. Being able to walk around the point charge and view the field in 3 dimensions further helped students understand why, for example, a positive charge released from rest might take a curvilinear velocity path away from a positive electric field rather than a linear one.

We conclude with implications for the utilization of AR technology in physics education, as well as implications for further research on active and embodied learning in STEM.

Citation
Format

Flynn, E., & Horner, M., & Larios, A., & Rios, R. T., & Wishart, I. E., & Bowers, J., & Thoman, D. B., & Anderson, M. E. (2024, June), Board 202: Assessing the Design of an AR-based Physics Exploratorium Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/46769

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - One reason that students struggle in introductory physics classes, which are often key entry points for STEM majors, is that certain topics are difficult to mentally visualize and manipulate in two dimensions. Vectors and fields, for example, are challenging in their own right, and even more so when presented using static imagery in textbooks or on whiteboards in the classroom. To address this barrier to physics learning, we developed a series of augmented reality (AR)-based environments designed to engage groups of students in explorations of physics phenomena represented in 3D space. In this paper, we present the results of a study on physics learning from the first of our AR environments, which focused on electric charges, from point charges to line and planar charges.  

Our research questions and consequent evaluation methods are based on an embodied view of learning wherein all senses--including sight, sound, gesture, and social interactions--are seen as critical components contributing to students’ ongoing sense-making processes. We first present our design cycle model, an iterative process of design and research documenting undergraduate physics students’ interactions with the electric fields environment.  Next, we present outcomes from student surveys completed after the learning experience. Analysis of the survey data illustrate that students&#39; initial reactions to the environment were overwhelmingly positive, that most students felt like the experience was beneficial for their learning, and that most students strongly believe it should be used in classrooms. 

In addition to the surveys, we recorded and systematically coded the interactive learning sessions. We present results from this qualitative data coding, which demonstrate that this environment creates unique affordances for learning. For example, the embodied experiences of moving one’s hand around an electric field led to new opportunities for perspective taking and modeling the directional behavior of the field. Being able to walk around the point charge and view the field in 3 dimensions further helped students understand why, for example, a positive charge released from rest might take a curvilinear velocity path away from a positive electric field rather than a linear one. 

We conclude with implications for the utilization of AR technology in physics education, as well as implications for further research on active and embodied learning in STEM. 



AU  - Elizabeth Flynn
AU  - Molly Horner
AU  - Adrian Larios
AU  - Ryan Thomas Rios
AU  - India Elizabeth Wishart
AU  - Janet Bowers
AU  - Dustin B.  Thoman
AU  - Matthew E Anderson
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Board 202: Assessing the Design of an AR-based Physics Exploratorium
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/46769
ER  -