Investigating Trajectories of Learning & Transfer of Problem Solving Expertise from Mathematics to Physics to Engineering


 This project is supported by the National Science Foundation under grant 0816207.

Previous Work - Transfer of Learning: College Mathematics to Physics Courses

This research investigated students’ transfer of learning from mathematics courses to an introductory physics course and from physics to engineering courses.  We used semi-structured think aloud interviews and other methods to assess the extent to which students transfer their calculus knowledge when solving problems in a physics course. Results indicated that students do transfer their knowledge from calculus class to physics class. However, during the transfer process they needed specific scaffolding to connect the calculus knowledge with the physics problem.

Publications

Transfer of Learning in Problem Solving in the Context of Mathematics & Physics

N. Sanjay Rebello, Lili Cui, Andrew G. Bennett, Dean A. Zollman and Darryl J. Ozimek, in  Learning to Solve Complex Scientific Problems, Ed. David Jonassen, Lawrence Earlbaum Associates, New York, 2007.

 

Consolidating Traditional and Contemporary Perspectives of Transfer of Learning: A Framework and Implications

N. Sanjay Rebello, Proceedings of NARST, 2007

 

Assessing College Students’ Transfer of Learning from Calculus to Physics Using Non-Traditional Problems

Lili Cui, N. Sanjay Rebello and Andrew Bennett, Proceedings of NARST, 2007

Using Physics Jeopardy Problems to Assess College Students' Transfer of Learning from Calculus to Physics
Lili Cui, N. Sanjay Rebello & Andrew G. Bennett, Proceedings of the Physics Education Research Conference, 2006

Transfer of Learning from College Calculus to Physics Courses
Lili Cui, N. Sanjay Rebello & Andrew Bennett in Proceedings of NARST, 2006

Dynamic Transfer: A Perspective from Physics Education Research

N. Sanjay Rebello, et al. in Jose P. Mestre (Ed.) Transfer of Learning: Research and Perspectives, National Science Foundation, pages 217–250, Information Age Publishing, Greenwich, CT 2005

 

College Students' Transfer from Calculus to Physics
Lili Cui, N. Sanjay Rebello & Andrew G. Bennett, Proceedings of the Physics Education Research Conference, 2005

 

Retention and Transfer from Trigonometry to Physics
Darryl J. Ozimek, Paula V. Engelhardt, Andrew G. Bennett & N. Sanjay Rebello, Proceedings of the Physics Education Research Conference, 2004

Theses & Dissertations

Assessing College Students' Retention and Transfer from Calculus to Physics

Lili Cui, Ph.D., 2006

Student Learning, Retention, and Transfer from Trigonometry to Physics
Darryl John Ozimek, M.S., 2004

Supported by National Science Foundation Grant DUE-020694