Effects of implementing a problem-solving template in introductory physics courses

Abstract

Many introductory physics textbooks include problem-solving templates that are intended to assist students in solving complex physics problems. Despite the widespread use of such templates, there is little evidence as to their effectiveness. In this study, we investigated the effects of using a research-based problem-solving template in three physics courses at a university in Kazakhstan. We generally found that students who were taught using the problem-solving template performed significantly better than students in a control group on midterm examinations. However, we saw no difference between the control and template groups on the final examinations or post-test. We saw significant uptake (60%–80%) of the template components when we analysed homework solutions from the template group and found that student attitudes toward the template were generally positive. Interestingly, we did not find substantial correlations between course performance and the degree to which students used the template on their assignments. Overall, the results are somewhat inconclusive as to the effectiveness of research-based problem-solving templates in traditional physics classrooms because of the limited sample size, unique institutional context, and mixed results from the analysis. This indicates a need for more robust and continued research in the area of problem-solving templates.