Model Analysis of Fine Structures of Student Models: An Example with Newton's Third Law

In problem-solving situations, the contextual features of problems affect student reasoning. Using Newton’s Third Law as an example, we study the detail of the involvement of contexts in students’ uses of alternative conceptual models. Through research, we identified four contextual features that are frequently used by students in their reasoning. Using these results, a multiplechoice survey was developed to probe, in large classes, the effects of the specific contextual features on student reasoning. Measurements with this instrument show that the different contextual features can affect students’ conceptual learning in different ways. We compare student data from different populations and instructions and discuss the implications.