Reading time as evidence for mental models in understanding physics

David T. Brookes, José Mestre, Elizabeth A.L. Stine-Morrow

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

We present results of a reading study that show the usefulness of probing physics students' cognitive processing by measuring reading time. According to contemporary discourse theory, when people read a text, a network of associated inferences is activated to create a mental model. If the reader encounters an idea in the text that conflicts with existing knowledge, the construction of a coherent mental model is disrupted and reading times are prolonged, as measured using a simple self-paced reading paradigm. We used this effect to study how "non-Newtonian" and "Newtonian" students create mental models of conceptual systems in physics as they read texts related to the ideas of Newton's third law, energy, and momentum. We found significant effects of prior knowledge state on patterns of reading time, suggesting that students attempt to actively integrate physics texts with their existing knowledge.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2007 Physics Education Research Conference, PERC
Pages65-68
Number of pages4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2007
Event2007 Physics Education Research Conference: Cognitive Science and Physics Education Research, PERC - Greensboro, NC, United States
Duration: Aug 1 2007Aug 2 2007

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume951
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Other

Other2007 Physics Education Research Conference: Cognitive Science and Physics Education Research, PERC
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityGreensboro, NC
Period8/1/078/2/07

Keywords

  • Misconceptions
  • Physics education research
  • Reading
  • Recruitment of prior knowledge
  • Situation model

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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