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Making Expert Processes Visible: How and Why Theorists Use Assumptions and Analogies in Their Research

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Title: Making Expert Processes Visible: How and Why Theorists Use Assumptions and Analogies in Their Research
Language: English
Authors: Verostek, Mike (ORCID 0000-0001-6420-7535), Griston, Molly (ORCID 0000-0002-2287-9752), Botello, Jesús (ORCID 0000-0003-4310-5139), Zwickl, Benjamin (ORCID 0000-0002-8925-6912)
Source: Physical Review Physics Education Research. Jul-Dec 2022 18(2).
Availability: American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: https://journals.aps.org/prper/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 27
Publication Date: 2022
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Graduate Education (DGE)
Contract Number: DGE1846321
REU1757477
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Physics, Science Instruction, Teaching Methods, Troubleshooting, Problem Solving, Task Analysis, Scientists, Figurative Language, Mathematics Instruction, Decision Making, Correlation, College Faculty, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Characteristics
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.020143
ISSN: 2469-9896
Abstract: Understanding how physicists solve problems can guide the development of methods that help students learn and improve at solving complex problems. Leveraging the framework of cognitive task analysis, we conducted semistructured interviews with theoretical physicists (N=11) to gain insight into the cognitive processes and skills that they use in their professional research. Among numerous activities that theorists described, here we elucidate two activities that theorists commonly characterized as being integral to their work: making assumptions and using analogies. Theorists described making assumptions throughout their research process, especially while setting their project's direction and goals, establishing their model's interaction with mathematics, and revising their model while troubleshooting. They described how assumptions about their model informed their mathematical decision making, as well as instances where mathematical steps fed back into their model's applicability. We found that theorists used analogies to generate new project ideas as well as overcome conceptual challenges. Theorists deliberately sought out or constructed analogies, indicating this is a skill students can practice. When mapping knowledge from one system to another, theorists used systems that shared a high degree of mathematical similarity; however, these systems did not always share similar surface features. We conclude by discussing connections between the ways theorists use assumption and analogy and offering potential new avenues of research regarding applications to instruction.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2023
Accession Number: EJ1375305
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Verostek%2C+Mike%22">Verostek, Mike</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6420-7535">0000-0001-6420-7535</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Griston%2C+Molly%22">Griston, Molly</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2287-9752">0000-0002-2287-9752</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Botello%2C+Jesús%22">Botello, Jesús</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4310-5139">0000-0003-4310-5139</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zwickl%2C+Benjamin%22">Zwickl, Benjamin</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8925-6912">0000-0002-8925-6912</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Physical+Review+Physics+Education+Research%22"><i>Physical Review Physics Education Research</i></searchLink>. Jul-Dec 2022 18(2).
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  Data: American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: https://journals.aps.org/prper/
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  Data: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.020143
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  Data: Understanding how physicists solve problems can guide the development of methods that help students learn and improve at solving complex problems. Leveraging the framework of cognitive task analysis, we conducted semistructured interviews with theoretical physicists (N=11) to gain insight into the cognitive processes and skills that they use in their professional research. Among numerous activities that theorists described, here we elucidate two activities that theorists commonly characterized as being integral to their work: making assumptions and using analogies. Theorists described making assumptions throughout their research process, especially while setting their project's direction and goals, establishing their model's interaction with mathematics, and revising their model while troubleshooting. They described how assumptions about their model informed their mathematical decision making, as well as instances where mathematical steps fed back into their model's applicability. We found that theorists used analogies to generate new project ideas as well as overcome conceptual challenges. Theorists deliberately sought out or constructed analogies, indicating this is a skill students can practice. When mapping knowledge from one system to another, theorists used systems that shared a high degree of mathematical similarity; however, these systems did not always share similar surface features. We conclude by discussing connections between the ways theorists use assumption and analogy and offering potential new avenues of research regarding applications to instruction.
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  Data: 2023
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