A Comparative Analysis of Expert's and Novice's Thinking Processess in Solving Physics Problems

물리문제해결 실패자(초심자)와 성공자(전문가)의 문제해결 사고과정에 관한 연구

This study intended to find the differences between expert's and novice's thinking processes when they solve physics problems. Five physics professors and twenty sophomore students in a physics department were participated in the study. The researcher investigated their thinking processes in solving three physics problems on NEWTON's law of motion. The researcher accepted so called "Thinking Aloud" method. The thinking processes were recorded and transfered into protocols. The protocols were analysised by problem solving process coding system which was developed by the researcher on the basis of Larkin's problem solving process model. The results were as follows: (1) There was no difference of time required in solving physics problem of low difficulty between expert and novices; but, it takes 1.5 times longer for novices than experts in solving physics problems which difficulties are high and average. (2) Novices used working forward strategy and working backward strategy at the similiar rate in solving physics problems which difficulties were average and low. while Novices mo mostly used working backward strategy in solving physic problems which difficulty was high. Experts mostly used working forward strategy in solving physics problems whose difficulties was average and low, however experts used working forward strategy and working backward strategy at the similiar rate in solving physics problem which difficulty was high. (3) Novices usually wrote only a few information on the diagram of figure they drawn, on the other hand experts usually wrote almost all the information which are necessary for solving the problems. (4) Experts spent much time in understand the problem and evaluation stage than novices did, however experts spent less time in plan stage than novices did. (5) Physics problems are solved in sequence of understanding the problem, plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluation steps regardless of problem difficulty.