Publication Date
2016
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Jason Deibel (Committee Member), Doug Petkie (Other), Eric Rowley (Committee Member), Adrienne Traxler (Advisor)
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
Physics Education Research has begun to focus on the learning habits, success, and connections of students in physics classrooms using Social Network Analysis (SNA). SNA is an important tool in studying classroom dynamics because it can be used to map the social structure of a classroom's interactions and to aid in understanding how students work and study together. This study presents network diagrams, statistics, centrality measures, and conceptual understanding correlations for 7 different sections of introductory physics. Centrality measures were determined from a first and last week survey in which students were asked to indicate their study partners within the class. Courses were then analyzed in aggregate and by gender to look for gender effects in network participation, which may take the form of different patterns of centrality, or different centrality shifts over the semester. These measures were then correlated with Force Concept Inventory (FCI) scores and gains.
Page Count
120
Department or Program
Department of Physics
Year Degree Awarded
2016
Copyright
Copyright 2016, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
