Instructors’ reasons for choosing problem features in a calculus-based introductory physics course

This study investigates how the beliefs and values of physics faculty influence their choice of physics problems for their students in an introductory physics course. The study identifies the goals these instructors have for their students, the problem features they believe facilitate those goals, and how those features correspond to problems they choose to use in their classes. This analysis comes from an artifact-based interview of 30 physics faculty teaching introductory calculus-based physics at a wide variety of institutions. The study concludes that instructors’ goals and the problem features they believe support those goals align with research-based curricular materials intended to develop competent problem solvers. However, many of these instructors do not use the beneficial problem features because they believe these features conflict with a more powerful set of values concerned with clarity of presentation and minimizing student stress, especially on exams.

Figure 1

“Core problem” that instructors were asked to solve prior to the interview.

Figure 2

Four problem variations that instructors were shown during the interview.

Figure 3

(Color) Legend for problem features in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Figure 4

(Color) Value and usage of problem features related to the learning goal of developing students’ physics understanding. The legend is in Fig. 3.

Figure 5

(Color) Value and usage of problem features related to the learning goal of developing students’ ability to plan and explore solution paths. The legend is in Fig. 3.

Figure 6

(Color) Value and usage of features related to the teaching goal of motivating students. The legend is in Fig. 3.

Figure 7

(Color) Value and usage of problem features related to the teaching goal of monitoring students’ thinking. The legend is in Fig. 3. The only problem feature linked to this goal was multiple choice.

Figure 8

(Color) Institutional distribution of the value and usage of multiple-choice questions related to the teaching goal of monitoring students’ thinking.

Figure 9

(Color) Value and usage of problem features related to the teaching goal of leading students through problems. The legend is in Fig. 3.

Figure 10

(Color) Value and usage of problem features related to the teaching goal of not leading students through problems. The legend is in Fig. 3.

Figure 11

(Color) Instructors’ reasons for not using valued problem features

Figure 12

(Color) Instructors’ reasons for using problem features they believe hinder a goal.