Facilitating Student Understanding of Electrostatics Using Gestures and Topographic Maps

• In Event: Teaching Attitudes and Strategies to Promote Student Learning in Science

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether integrating gestures into instruction on electrostatics and using the analogy of topographic maps to teach electrostatic diagrams facilitated student understanding of electrostatics. We also examined whether gender influenced the effect of baseline and intervention instruction, and whether spatial skills influenced the effect of this pedagogical intervention. Results indicate the effect of intervention was comparable to baseline textbook-inspired instruction. However, female participants benefitted more from the intervention, while male participants benefitted more from baseline instruction. Results also indicate that spatial skills were an explanatory factor in the effect of intervention. These results provide evidence that the addition of cost-effective pedagogical enhancements may bolster student understanding of domain-specific STEM topics.

Authors

• Robert Wilbur, University of California - Riverside

• Kinnari Atit, University of California Riverside

• Michael G Anderson, University of California - Riverside

• James Charbonneau, University of British Columbia, Vancouver