A Study of Gender and Cross-Discipline Conceptual Physics Understanding L.A. Kunkel; M. Balls – Student Researchers, BYU-Idaho B.A. Pyper, Ph.D. – Director.

A Study of Gender A Study of Gender and Cross-and Cross-Discipline Discipline

Conceptual Physics Conceptual Physics Understanding Understanding

L.A. Kunkel; M. Balls – Student Researchers, L.A. Kunkel; M. Balls – Student Researchers, BYU-Idaho BYU-Idaho

B.A. Pyper, Ph.D. – Director of Physics Education, B.A. Pyper, Ph.D. – Director of Physics Education, BYU-IdahoBYU-Idaho

R. Seamons, Ed.D. – Dean, College of Education, R. Seamons, Ed.D. – Dean, College of Education, BYU-IdahoBYU-Idaho

AbstractAbstract

We administered the Force Concept We administered the Force Concept Inventory to four different courses at BYU-Inventory to four different courses at BYU-Idaho: two physics courses and two non-Idaho: two physics courses and two non-science courses. The results showed some science courses. The results showed some significant differences, both in student significant differences, both in student demographics (e.g. gender and year in demographics (e.g. gender and year in school) and in conceptual physics school) and in conceptual physics understanding (e.g. self-perception and understanding (e.g. self-perception and attitude towards science), as well as some attitude towards science), as well as some very interesting correlations between very interesting correlations between specific items. specific items.

Students who took the Students who took the TestTest

American HeritageAmerican Heritage English 111English 111 Physics 105 (Introductory Applied Physics 105 (Introductory Applied

Physics I, Algebra/Trig based)Physics I, Algebra/Trig based) Physics 121 (Principles of Physics I, Physics 121 (Principles of Physics I,

Calculus based)Calculus based)

The CoversheetThe Coversheet Gender Gender School YearSchool Year Declared MajorDeclared Major Ranked agreement Ranked agreement

with these statements:with these statements: I am math-literate I am math-literate

(confident in my ability (confident in my ability to understand math). to understand math).

I am science-literate I am science-literate (confident in my ability (confident in my ability to understand to understand science).science).

An understanding of An understanding of science is useful in science is useful in everyday life. everyday life.

Math BackgroundMath Background Algebra/GeometryAlgebra/Geometry Algebra II/ TrigAlgebra II/ Trig College AlgebraCollege Algebra Pre-Cal/ Analytic GeometryPre-Cal/ Analytic Geometry Calculus or higherCalculus or higher

Science BackgroundScience Background HS Science other than HS Science other than

PhysicsPhysics Regular or Honors HS Regular or Honors HS

PhysicsPhysics College General Ed College General Ed

Physics/ AstronomyPhysics/ Astronomy College Science other than College Science other than

Physics (Chemistry, Physics (Chemistry, Geology, etc.)Geology, etc.)

AP or College PhysicsAP or College Physics

Example Test Example Test Problems Problems

A large truck collides head-on A large truck collides head-on with a small compact car. with a small compact car. During the collisionDuring the collision

1.1. The truck exerts a greater The truck exerts a greater amount of force on the car amount of force on the car than the car exerts on the than the car exerts on the truck.truck.

2.2. The car exerts a greater The car exerts a greater amount of force on the truck amount of force on the truck than the truck exerts on the than the truck exerts on the car.car.

3.3. Neither exerts a force on the Neither exerts a force on the other, the car gets smashed other, the car gets smashed simply because it gets in the simply because it gets in the way of the truck.way of the truck.

4.4. The truck exerts a force on The truck exerts a force on the car but the car does not the car but the car does not exert a force the truck.exert a force the truck.

5.5. The truck exerts the same The truck exerts the same amount of force on the car as amount of force on the car as the car exerts on the truck.the car exerts on the truck.

A steel ball is attached to a A steel ball is attached to a string and swung in a circular string and swung in a circular path in a horizontal plane as path in a horizontal plane as illustrated in the figure illustrated in the figure below. At point P, the string below. At point P, the string suddenly breaks near the suddenly breaks near the ball. If these events are ball. If these events are observed from directly above, observed from directly above, which of the paths 1-5 below which of the paths 1-5 below would the ball most closely would the ball most closely follow after the string follow after the string breaks?breaks?

Average Score by GenderAverage Score by Gender

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Totals AmHer Eng 111 Ph 105 Ph 121

Males

Females

TotalTotalss

< .00< .0011

AmHAmHerer

<.00<.0011

EngEng .0426.0426

Ph10Ph1055

.0234.0234

Ph12Ph1211

.0370.0370

Majors by GenderMajors by Gender

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Ag/LS Bus/Comm FA/Hum PS&E Soc/Ed

Males

Females

Average Score by School Average Score by School YearYear

FresFreshh

SophSoph JuniorJunior SeniorSenior

FreshFresh -- .0815.0815 < .001< .001 .00242.00242

SophSoph -- .0258.0258 .0522.0522

JuniorJunior NSNS

School Year by GenderSchool Year by Gender

School Year by CourseSchool Year by Course

Year By Course

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

AmHer (ave:1.44)

English (ave:1.23)

Ph 105 (ave:2.94)

Ph 121 (ave:2.23)

Score by CourseScore by Course

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

AmHer Engl. PH105 PH121

AmHeAmHerr

EngEng Ph Ph 105105

Ph Ph 121121

AmHeAmHerr

-- NSNS <.001<.001 <.001<.001

EngEng -- .0296.0296 .001.001

Ph Ph 105105

-- NSNS

Score by MajorScore by Major

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Ag/LS Bus/Comm FA/Hum PS&E Soc/Ed

Bus/Bus/ComCom

FA/FA/HumHum

PS&EPS&E Soc/EdSoc/Ed

Ag/LSAg/LS .00609.00609 .00404.00404 .3155.3155 <.001<.001

Bus/Bus/ComCom

-- NSNS <.001<.001 .112.112

FA/FA/HumHum

<.001<.001 NSNS

PS&EPS&E <.001<.001

CorrelationsCorrelations

Gender and Course Gender and Course -.338-.338

Gender and YearGender and Year -.235-.235

Gender and Score Gender and Score -.476-.476

CorrelationsCorrelations

Math Background Math Background and Scoreand Score .365.365

Math Efficacy and Math Efficacy and ScoreScore .310.310

Math and Science Math and Science EfficacyEfficacy .586.586

Science Science Background and Background and ScoreScore .387.387

Science Efficacy Science Efficacy and Scoreand Score .430.430

Science Efficacy Science Efficacy and Usefulnessand Usefulness .418.418

SummarySummary Males in our study performed better than Males in our study performed better than

Females on the testFemales on the test A correlation is indicated between a A correlation is indicated between a

student’s self-efficacy and their conceptual student’s self-efficacy and their conceptual physics understanding physics understanding

A correlation is indicated between a A correlation is indicated between a student’s math and/or science background student’s math and/or science background and their conceptual physics understandingand their conceptual physics understanding

Confounding variables:Confounding variables: Year in School and GenderYear in School and Gender Year in School and CourseYear in School and Course

General conceptual physics understanding General conceptual physics understanding is discouragingly low!is discouragingly low!

ConcernsConcerns

Do women not understand physics as well Do women not understand physics as well as men or is the test biased against as men or is the test biased against women?women?

Why are so few women taking physics?Why are so few women taking physics? Do physics students have a better Do physics students have a better

understanding of conceptual Newtonian understanding of conceptual Newtonian Physics than non physics students, or are Physics than non physics students, or are non-physics students not applying their non-physics students not applying their knowledge because of contextual knowledge because of contextual dependency?dependency?

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments Brian A. Pyper, Ph.D. – Director of Brian A. Pyper, Ph.D. – Director of Physics Education, BYU-IdahoPhysics Education, BYU-Idaho Rhonda Seamons, Ed.D. – Dean, Rhonda Seamons, Ed.D. – Dean, College of Education, BYU-IdahoCollege of Education, BYU-Idaho The Brigham Young University-The Brigham Young University-Idaho Research in Science Education Idaho Research in Science Education GroupGroup The Jacob Spori Memorial FundThe Jacob Spori Memorial Fund The Thomas E. Ricks Memorial The Thomas E. Ricks Memorial FundFund