Article
Partial derivative games in thermodynamics: A cognitive task analysis
Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research
(2014)
Abstract
Several studies in recent years have demonstrated that upper-division students struggle with the
mathematics of thermodynamics. This paper presents a task analysis based on several expert attempts
to solve a challenging mathematics problem in thermodynamics. The purpose of this paper is twofold.
First, we highlight the importance of cognitive task analysis for understanding expert performance and
show how the epistemic games framework can be used as a tool for this type of analysis, with
thermodynamics as an example. Second, through this analysis, we identify several issues related to
thermodynamics that are relevant to future research into student understanding and learning of the
mathematics of thermodynamics.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2014
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.10.010101
Citation Information
Mary Bridget Kustusch, David Roundy, Corrine Manogue and Tevian Dray. "Partial derivative games in thermodynamics: A cognitive task analysis" Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research Vol. 10 (2014) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/mbkustusch/2/