A combination of theoretical perspectives is used to create a rich description of student reasoning when facing a highly-geometric electricity and magnetism problem in an upper-division active-engagement physics classroom at Oregon State University. Geometric reasoning as students encounter problem situations ranging from familiar to novel is described using van Zee...
Presented here is a case study of the problem-solving behaviors of upper-division undergraduate physics majors. This study explores the role of visual representations in students' problem solving and provides a foundation for investigating how students' use of visualization changes in the upper-division physics major. Three independent studies were conducted on...
Mathematical sophistication increases rapidly as students transition from lower- to upper-division physics courses. Complex algebra is one of the mathematical tools that is not introduced or used in lower-division physics courses but is pervasive throughout upper-division courses. In this dissertation, I study middle-division physics students' developing fluency with complex number...
Physics problems that require integration, such as finding the center of mass of an object or finding the electric field from a continuous distribution of charge, are one type of problem that is difficult for introductory physics students to solve. These problems require students to define a coordinate system in...
In this dissertation we study the electromagnetic properties of planar waveguides
with non-magnetic strongly anisotropic dielectric cores. We develop an analytical
description of the mode propagation in these systems and show that the index
of refraction can be either positive or negative depending on the specific material
parameters. Propagating modes...
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has measured the condition and progress of education since 1969 to provide information on performance of American students in core subjects to policymakers, educators, and the public. Yet, there has been a perception that theses federal resources are under utilized. An analysis of...
This work comprises two main parts: creating and shaping narrowband, pulsed THz radiation in a table-top optical setup; and applying THz pulses to semiconductor nanostructures to study electron dynamics.
I developed a scheme to shape the THz output of a fanned-out periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal. The pulses are...
Quantum mechanics is increasingly being taught with a spins-first approach where instructors use simple spin systems to introduce the principles of quantum mechanics rather than systems with wavefunctions. One of the defining characteristics of a spins-first approach is that systems studied have discrete bases, whereas systems with wavefunctions have continuous...
Physicists solve problems and communicate their work using many external representations, such as equations, words, diagrams, graphs, sketches, pictures, and more. To learn physics, then, students must learn to use external representations. In this dissertation, I present three manuscripts. Each manuscript discusses how upper-division Paradigms in Physics students use multiple...