| Article Citation | Vangilder, C. H. (2016). A grounded theory investigation of thinking and reasoning with multiple representational systems for epistemological change in introductory physics . Grand Canyon University. | |
| Point | Description |
Location (Page #) |
| Broad Topic Area | The study aimed at determining how introductory physics (IP) students engage in problem-solving and reasoning processes by ascertaining the influence of conceptual and epistemology change work on representational systems. The study employed MRS tools and was grounded on theories by Piaget and other cognitive thinking theorists. | 1 |
| Lit Review | The literature review focused on the various conceptual and theoretical foundations that are related to the general epistemological and conceptual change. Moreover, it focused on the influence of changes in personal epistemological change and IP. Moreover, the literature review highlighted the various researchers linked to conceptual changes in reasoning and thinking in an introductory physics classrooms setting, and personal epistemology in introductory physics classrooms setting | 29 |
| Problem Statement | There is no clear understanding as to what the term thinking and reason mean. Moreover, there is no known evidence on how MRS occurs with thinking and reasoning and how in case it occurs, what its impacts on epistemological change in process and mechanism would be specifically in an introductory physics classroom setting. | 8 |
| Research Questions |
The study had two research questions whereby one aimed at determining how introductory physics students in reasoning and thinking use representational systems. The second research questions aimed at establishing how personal epistemological change is promoted in IP students by using MRS in reasoning and thinking. |
79 |
| Sample | The study was conducted at Central Arizona College and had a sample of 34 students who enrolled for an Introductory Physics course. The participants were aged 17-45 years | 83 |
| Describe Phenomena (qualitative) or Define Variables/ Hypotheses (quantitative) | This is the processes whereby items, populations or things are described basing on their symbols, characteristics, symbols or meanings rather than their measures or counts. | |
| Methodology & Design | The study employed a qualitative research design. | 80 |
| Purpose Statement | The purpose of the study was to establish how epistemological changes in the thinking and reason abilities of introductory physics students correspond to the representational system deployed in the classroom. | 9 |
| Data Collection Approach | The study employed electronic polls, written journal, and interviews as the core data collection methodologies. | 84 |
| Data Analysis Approach | The audio from the interviews was transcribed using NVivo software whereby two coding schemes were employed indigenous and priori theoretical | 98 |
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Evaluation According to the literature review analysis, the researcher used current literature to show the link between epistemological frameworks and psychological constructs. In most of the studies highlighted in the literature review, they did not focus on fully defining what the term thinking and reasoning represent. Moreover, the studies did not focus on the epistemological changes that occur in the two psychological constructs, and thus, the researcher identified the gap, which was bound to become bridged by the findings. The phenomena under study in this research are the epistemological change that occurs in thinking and reasoning. The epistemological change was based on Piaget’s cognitive development process off equilibration. In the case of the thinking and reasoning psychological constructs, they have not yet been clearly defined, and the qualitative study aimed to come up with a clear definition of the two terms. According to the research problem, there is no clear definition of the term thinking and reasoning and yet, the impacts of MRS on epistemological change. It is through the problem statement that a troubling question(s) arises that requires deliberate investigation and meaningful investigation. The research problem must first identify there is a lack of knowledge concerning a particular topic before setting up respective questions. The study employed a grounded theory qualitative research design. In this type of design, a researcher will focus more on the development of a particular theory. This research design helps a researcher in boosting or constructing middle-level theories using gathered data and helps in the theories power on robust empirical foundations (Khan, 2014). In this case, there are gaps in the previous cognitive development theories, and through this type of research design, the gaps will become bridged. The study employed interviews and secondary data sources as the main collection approaches. The interviews allowed the researcher in collecting primary data, which is used as firsthand information. Such data is more reliable and accurate and is used in producing accurate findings. In the case of secondary data. It allows the researcher to boost the credibility of the primary data by comparing what previous researchers found out in regards to the topic. |
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References
Khan, S. N. (2014). Qualitative research method: Grounded theory. International Journal of Business and Management , 9 (11), 224-233.
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Vangilder, C. H. (2016). A grounded theory investigation of thinking and reasoning with multiple representational systems for epistemological change in introductory physics . Grand Canyon University.
