Research

Download Findings of the Modeling Workshop Project (1994-00)
This is one section in the Final Report submitted to the National Science Foundation in fall 2000 for the Teacher Enhancement grant entitled Modeling Instruction in High School Physics. David Hestenes, Professor of Physics at Arizona State University, was Principal Investigator.

Download Findings of the ASU Summer Graduate Program for Physics Teachers(2002-2006)
-a section in the Final Report submitted to the NSF in 2006, by David Hestenes and Jane Jackson

Articles on Modeling Instruction

Modeling Instruction: Theory and Practice:
- D. Hestenes, Modeling Games in the Newtonian World, Am. J. Phys. 60: 732-748 (1992).
- D. Hestenes, Modeling is the Name of the Game
  conceptual models and modeling in science education (1993).
- D. Hestenes (1997), Modeling Methodology for Physics Teachers. In E. Redish & J. Rigden (Eds.) The changing role of the physics department in modern universities, American Institute of Physics Part II. p. 935-957.
- M. Wells, D. Hestenes, and G. Swackhamer, A Modeling Method for High School Physics Instruction, Am. J. Phys. 63: 606-619 (1995).
- D. Hestenes, Toward a Modeling Theory of Physics Instruction, Am. J. Phys. 55, 440-454 (1987).
- D. Hestenes, Notes on Modeling Theory, Proceedings of the 2006 GIREP conference: Modelling in Physics and Physics Education.
- I.Halloun and D. Hestenes, Common Sense Concepts about Motion, Am. J. Phys. 53, 1056-1065 (1985).
Commentaries on Physics Education:
- D. Hestenes, Wherefore a Science of Teaching?, The Physics Teacher 17, 235-242 (1979).
- D. Hestenes, Secrets of Genius, New Ideas in Psychology, 8, No 2, 231-246, 1990
- D. Hestenes, What do graduate oral exams tell us?, Am. J. Phys. 63, 1069 (1995).
- D. Hestenes, Who needs physics education research!? Am. J. Phys. 66: 465-467 (1998).
- D. Hestenes, The scientific method, Am. J. Phys. 67: 274 (1999).
Link to relevant articles by other researchers:
- C. Henderson, Common Concerns about the Force Concept Inventory, The Physics Teacher 40, 542-567

Doctoral Dissertations on Modeling Instruction

Modeling Instruction in High School Physics (150kB, 29 pages of excerpts; dissertation 1987)--Malcolm Wells
Modeling Discourse Management -- Dwain Desbien (107 pg dissertation 2002: 288KB)
Inclusion of the energy thread in college modeling instruction (182 pg dissertation 2002) -- Eric Brewe
Perceptions of physics teachers who have participated in a constructivist in-service experience -- Walter Snow (227 pg dissertation 2002) (A study of six modelers)
The effect of a science core sequence reform on students' attitudes toward science (A Physics First sequence using Modeling Instruction resulted in increased enrollment in advanced science courses) -- Douglas Mountz dkmountz@myway.com (100 pg dissertation 2006: 500kB)
Cognitive and Metacognitive differences between Modeling and Non-Modeling high school physics students (164-pg dissertation 2006 1MB) -- Kathy Malone
Framing Discourse for Optimal Learning in Science and Mathematics (Modeling Instruction from grade 8 to college)--M.Colleen Megowan (157-pg dissertation 2007. 6MB-large file!) ckozumplik@aol.com

Evaluation Instruments

FCI (Force Concept Inventory

The revised Force Concept Inventory (I. Halloun, R.R. Hake, E.P. Mosca, and D. Hestenes) is available (as a .pdf file) at this site to authorized educators. To download the file, [click-hold] (Macintosh) or [right-click] (Wintel) on the link and choose [Save this link as], then specify where you want the file to be saved. Be sure to choose [Source] rather than [Text] as the format. To view this file once you have downloaded it, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (download free from Adobe) and a password. To obtain the password, email a request to Licia Bailey <Licia.Bailey@asu.edu>.

Background articles

I. Halloun and D. Hestenes, The Initial Knowledge State of College Physics Students, Am. J. Phys. 53, 1043-1055 (1985).
I.Halloun and D. Hestenes, Common Sense Concepts about Motion, Am. J. Phys. 53, 1056-1065 (1985).

Download English version
Download Spanish (Espanol) version
Download Portuguese version
Download the updated German (Deutsch) verson
Download Malaysian (Bahasa) version
Download Chinese version - note: you will need NJStar Software to translate this version.
Download Finnish (Suomi) version
Download Turkish (Turkce) version
Email contact to obtain Swedish version
Download Russian version
Download Italian (Italiano) version
Download Czech version
Download Greek version
Download Persian version
Download Slovak version
Download French version

Note: you will need the password to view any of these files.

Articles about the FCI

D. Hestenes, M. Wells, and G. Swackhamer, Force Concept Inventory fromThe Physics Teacher.
Download Revised Table I and/or Revised Table II from Hestenes's 1992 article on FCI.

D. Hestenes and I. Halloun, Interpreting the FCI. The Physics Teacher 33, 502-506 (1995)

I. Halloun and D. Hestenes, Search for Coherence in FCI data

D. Hestenes, Who Needs Physics Education Research?, Am. J. Phys. 66: 465-467 (1998)
D. Hestenes, Notes for a Modeling Theory of Science, Cognition and Instruction (2006). Pages 16-22 are very important in explaining why the FCI is so successful in assessing student concept understanding.

Assessss2 spreadsheet

Assessssv2.xls is an Excel spreadsheet updated in 2007 to provide greater flexibility for inserting assessments with up to 100 questions, either "canned" or of your own making. The spreadsheet has the ability to provide individual and entire class item analysis, especially helpful after pre-testing to determine instructional focus areas. Assessssv2 is preset for the Force Concept Inventory, Test for Understanding Graphs in Kinematics, Mechanics Baseline Test, and it has additional answer keys for Energy Concept Inventory and the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism. This instrument was developed by Jamie Vesenka, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of New England. The readmefirst file provides further information, including how you may obtain the password to open the spreadsheet.

MBT (Mechanics Baseline Test)

Background
The Mechanics Baseline Test (Hestenes & Wells) is available (as a .pdf file) at this site to qualified educators. To view this file once you have downloaded it, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (download free from Adobe) and a password. To obtain the password, email a request to Licia Bailey <Licia.Bailey@asu.edu>.
Download English version
Download Spanish (Espanol) version
Download Portuguese version
Download German (Deutsch) version
Download Malaysian (Bahasa) version
Download Finnish (Suomi) version
Download Turkish (Turkce) version
Download Italian (Italiano) version
Download Persian version

Article describing MBT

D. Hestenes and M. Wells, A Mechanics Baseline Test, The Physics Teacher 30: 159-165 (1992).

VASS (Views About Sciences Survey)

VASS: version P204 (.pdf) (June 2004)
VASS taxonomy: version P204(.pdf)

Overview of VASS (.doc) (history, design, advantages, results (6 pages: excerpts))
I. Halloun and D. Hestenes, Interpreting VASS Dimensions and Profiles for Physics Students (.pdf), Science and Education (1998)
I. Halloun, Student Views about Science: A Comparative Survey (.pdf).
Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon (2001)
I. Halloun, Modeling Theory in Science Education (.doc) (book overview and ordering information. 2004)

Evaluations of Modeling Instruction and Other Programs

Taxonomies of Student Conceptions

Download force conception taxonomy (1992)
Download motion conception taxonomy (1985)

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last updated on Mar. 1, 2008