2002/09/03 by Michael Wittmann, Michael C. Wittmann, Wittmann, Michael C.
Physics and Astronomy · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Educational Strategies and Epistemologies #FOS: Physical sciences #Innovative Teaching Methods #Physics Education (physics.ed-ph) #Science Education and Pedagogy #physics.ed-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.physics/0209006
4 pages, 6 figures, 4 references and notes, invited submission to the Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, 2002
arxiv created 2002/09/03 · openalex publication_date 2002/09/03 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The Maryland Physics Expectations Survey (MPEX) describes student attitudes and expectations toward learning, and might be used to predict normalized gains on tests such as the Force and Motion Concept Evaluation (FMCE). These predictions are incomplete, though, due to limitations of the standardized tests themselves. I illustrate the problems involved in using the MPEX to predict productive attitudes toward learning physics by focusing on two students, both with seemingly appropriate expectations toward learning. While one had high normalized gains, the other did not, due to "false favorable" responses on the MPEX.