Teaching and Supporting the Use of Qualitative and Quantitative Concepts in Classical Mechanics

Though very often quantitative problem solving is accentuated in physics instruction, psychological as well as educational research indicates that this emphasis is misleading. In an experimental study, we compared physics instruction with a focus on quantitative problem solving to physics instruction with a focus on qualitative problem solving. Initially, students were taught quantitative as well as qualitative concepts of classical mechanics by means of concept maps. Thereafter, the students attempted to solve four problems whose solutions demanded the coordinated application of knowledge about quantitative and qualitative concepts. During problem solving, the students received support from tutors. While one group of students was supported in qualitative problem solving, the other group was supported in quantitative problem solving. Before and after the problem solving, the students worked on tests. In accord with our expectations, students who were supported in qualitative problem solving improved significantly more from the pretest to the posttest than students who were supported in quantitative problem solving.