Accuracy isn’t the only factor in student learning—time matters too. This talk, by Andrew Heckler, explores physics education research across multiple timescales, from weeks to fractions of a second, revealing how timing affects understanding, procrastination, test performance, and cognitive processing.
Physics and Astronomy Colloquium
March 27, 4pm talk with coffee/cookies at 3:30
136 Jorgensen Hall
Speaker: Andrew Heckler, Professor and Vice Chair for Administration, Department of Physics, Ohio State University
Title: The importance of time when considering student learning in physics
Abstract: Typically, we focus only on the accuracy of student work when considering grades in courses or conducting research on student understanding. However, the dimension of time can also be a critically important factor to consider. In this talk we will survey physics education research results from a broad range of timescales. First, on the timescale of weeks and days, we examine how understanding of individual concepts evolves during a course. Second, on the scale of days and hours, we investigate when students submit assignments, allowing us to characterize, for example, students who do or do not procrastinate. Third, on the timescale of minutes to seconds, we examine how speed and change in speed in answering pre and posttest diagnostic questions relate to exam performance. Finally, on scales of second to fractions of a second, we investigate how response choices on simple physics multiple choice tasks allow us to probe implicit cognitive processes. Research at these different timescales, each with its own dynamics and mechanisms, can provide valuable insights for understanding learning and improving instruction.