Re: Setting up problems

[SSHS KPHOX <kphox@CHERRYCREEKSCHOOLS.ORG>]

Forum for Physics Educators <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu> writes:
> Is there some way to teach students how to read a word problem and then
> set it up so that they can then apply the math to it?  I don't remember
> how I learned this, but I (and all my colleagues) seem to be rather good
> at this.

In a word: Concepts!

We are experts.
When we read a situation we classify the problem as energy,kinematic,
force, momentum...etc. Our command of the concepts and our rich background
make this easy for us.

This leads us to articulating the physical principles involved:
conservation of, acceleration depends on force and mass etc.

We visualize the situation, usually with a diagram or a Freebody diagram.

We look for equalities of concepts and this leads us to an equation which
through practice ad nauseum we can solve easily.

 What to do with novices? Model the behavior, expecting notes on the
"metacognitive" processes we go through.

The posting that said that concept teaching was more successful than
algorithm teaching hit the nail on the head. New situations need to be
faced by the students. They need to talk through their though processes
with themselves and class mates. Make sure there is extraneous information
to be rejected. It drives them nuts! These fall into the Context Rich Type
of problem category.

I was "telephone tutoring" my college daughter last night ( a local call
thank goodness). The lecture notes for this week focused on the
Expert/Novice dichotomy. Experts focus on Concepts and past experience.
The homework required that students answer these questions on the way to a
solution: What are the basic principles involved? How do they apply? What
equations might help? Express them in words before using symbols. How will
you proceed?

My daughter became impatient and wanted to jump to the equation and
solution. It was not a pretty sound hearing me make her articulate these
parts.

I do not know if she will get better, but I sure think these folks at CU
Boulder are on the right track.

You obviously are not alone in the question. I have chosen a path that I
believe in and has had some success. Still there are students who fight it
and look for the equation that has the right letters in it.  Woe is me!

Thanks for asking. I have had my thinking supported by these valued
colleagues.

Ken Fox
Science Department Coordinator
IB Physics Teacher
Smoky Hill High School
Aurora, CO
kfox@mail.ccsd.k12.co.us