PROCEEDINGS OF THE 23RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2020
Boston, Massachusetts
Student responses to an unfamiliar graphical representation of motion
Page: 909
Student use of mathematics in physics is an area of current interest in RUME and physics education research (PER). In particular, the function concept has been widely studied in RUME but has received less attention in PER. This study probes the ability of introductory physics students to (1) interpret graphical representations of position vs. time functions and their corresponding derivatives, to (2) translate the graphical representation into a meaningful symbolic representation, and to (3) interpret a novel graphical representation. Data were collected through think-aloud interviews and analyzed using a conceptual blending framework (Fauconnier and Turner 1998). The novel representation was challenging for students but in some cases prompted generative reasoning and re-invention of ‘known’ rules and relationships.