(Expanded introductory description of the term; expanded identification of bottleneck; added scholarly work on this bottleneck as a category and added text and link to Timmermann article.) |
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===Identification of bottleneck=== | ===Identification of bottleneck=== | ||
<span class="ve-pasteProtect" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51)" data-ve-attributes="{"style":"color: rgb(51, 51, 51)"}">The voltage in an open circuit is a difficult concept for many students in electrical engineering or physics courses. Often, this difficulty occurs first when voltages across open switches are considered. As there is no direct conducting path between the two terminals ("ends") of the open circuit, and hence no current flows between the two points across the open circuit, it is difficult for students to grasp that (1) the concept of a voltage still applies and (2) this voltage in most | <span class="ve-pasteProtect" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51)" data-ve-attributes="{"style":"color: rgb(51, 51, 51)"}">The voltage in an open circuit is a difficult concept for many students in electrical engineering or physics courses. Often, this difficulty occurs first when voltages across open switches are considered. As there is no direct conducting path between the two terminals ("ends") of the open circuit, and hence no current flows between the two points across the open circuit, it is difficult for students to grasp that (1) the concept of a voltage still applies and (2) this voltage may have (and in most meaningful cases has) a value other than zero.</span> <span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none;" class="ve-pasteProtect" data-ve-attributes="{"style":"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none;"}"></span> | ||
===Description of mental tasks needed to overcome the bottleneck=== | ===Description of mental tasks needed to overcome the bottleneck=== | ||
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===Sharing=== | ===Sharing=== | ||
== Related scholarly work on this bottleneck == | ==Related scholarly work on this bottleneck== | ||
Student understanding of the voltage across an open circuit (or across an open switch) has been the focus of several studies in Physics and Engineering Education Research. Much of this work has been summarized in a [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dion-Timmermann/publication/285512110_Student_Understanding_of_Open_Switches_and_Open_Circuits_What_Do_We_Not_Know/links/576289be08ae5d145f354cab/Student-Understanding-of-Open-Switches-and-Open-Circuits-What-Do-We-Not-Know.pdf review article] by Timmermann and Kautz presented at the Research in Engineering Education Symposium in Dublin in 2015. | Student understanding of the voltage across an open circuit (or across an open switch) has been the focus of several studies in Physics and Engineering Education Research. Much of this work has been summarized in a [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dion-Timmermann/publication/285512110_Student_Understanding_of_Open_Switches_and_Open_Circuits_What_Do_We_Not_Know/links/576289be08ae5d145f354cab/Student-Understanding-of-Open-Switches-and-Open-Circuits-What-Do-We-Not-Know.pdf review article] by Timmermann and Kautz presented at the Research in Engineering Education Symposium in Dublin in 2015. | ||
Revision as of 14:30, 19 July 2024
Voltage in the context of electric circuits is a quantity that can be associated with any (ordered) pair of points. It is defined as the amount of work done on a charge by the electric field in the circuit while it is moved from the first point to the second. Even for two points in a circuit that are not directly connected by a circuit element (i.e., an open circuit), a voltage can be defined. A switch that has been opened is a particular instance of an open circuit.
The voltage in open circuits has been the focus of a decoding interview as well as of extensive research on student understanding (within Physics Education Research and Engineering Education Research).
Decoding work done
Identification of bottleneck
The voltage in an open circuit is a difficult concept for many students in electrical engineering or physics courses. Often, this difficulty occurs first when voltages across open switches are considered. As there is no direct conducting path between the two terminals ("ends") of the open circuit, and hence no current flows between the two points across the open circuit, it is difficult for students to grasp that (1) the concept of a voltage still applies and (2) this voltage may have (and in most meaningful cases has) a value other than zero.
Description of mental tasks needed to overcome the bottleneck
Modelling the tasks
Practice and Feedback
Anticipate and lessen resistance
Assessment of student mastery
Sharing
Related scholarly work on this bottleneck
Student understanding of the voltage across an open circuit (or across an open switch) has been the focus of several studies in Physics and Engineering Education Research. Much of this work has been summarized in a review article by Timmermann and Kautz presented at the Research in Engineering Education Symposium in Dublin in 2015.
