TY - JOUR
T1 - Developing physics concepts through hands-on problem solving
T2 - A perspective on a technological project design
AU - Hong, Jon Chao
AU - Chen, Mei Yung
AU - Wong, Ashley
AU - Hsu, Tsui Fang
AU - Peng, Chih Chi
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments This research was sponsored by the National Science Council of Taiwan (NSC 96-2515-S-003-003-MY3, NSC 97-2515-S-003-017-MY3, and NSC 98-2511-S-003-026).
PY - 2012/11
Y1 - 2012/11
N2 - In a contest featuring hands-on projects, college students were required to design a simple crawling worm using planning, self-monitoring and self-evaluation processes to solve contradictive problems. To enhance the efficiency of problem solving, one needs to practice meta-cognition based on an application of related scientific concepts. The objective of this study, then, was to analyze the physics concepts employed by the students as they completed a hands-on project named Crawling Worm, during which they had to overcome problems encountered by the requirements of their design as well as those brought on by competition. Based on the analysis of the participants working portfolios and on reviews and interviews by engineering professors, the results of this study show that the crawling worm design competition encouraged the practice of problem solving, and it facilitated the learning of physics concepts such as friction, torque, four bar link, material properties, and so on.
AB - In a contest featuring hands-on projects, college students were required to design a simple crawling worm using planning, self-monitoring and self-evaluation processes to solve contradictive problems. To enhance the efficiency of problem solving, one needs to practice meta-cognition based on an application of related scientific concepts. The objective of this study, then, was to analyze the physics concepts employed by the students as they completed a hands-on project named Crawling Worm, during which they had to overcome problems encountered by the requirements of their design as well as those brought on by competition. Based on the analysis of the participants working portfolios and on reviews and interviews by engineering professors, the results of this study show that the crawling worm design competition encouraged the practice of problem solving, and it facilitated the learning of physics concepts such as friction, torque, four bar link, material properties, and so on.
KW - Progressive problem solving
KW - Project design
KW - Project-based learning
KW - Science learning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84869491966&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84869491966&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10798-011-9163-7
DO - 10.1007/s10798-011-9163-7
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84869491966
SN - 0957-7572
VL - 22
SP - 473
EP - 487
JO - International Journal of Technology and Design Education
JF - International Journal of Technology and Design Education
IS - 4
ER -