A framework for characterizing covariational reasoning in physics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a framework to characterize covariational reasoning in physics, aiding instructors and researchers in understanding and improving how students grasp the relationship between changing quantities in physics models.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel framework specifically for covariational reasoning in physics contexts, distinguishing it from purely mathematical reasoning and supporting educational practices.

Findings

Framework effectively characterizes physics covariational reasoning

Enables recognition of reasoning patterns in students

Supports development of instructional materials

Abstract

Covariational reasoning--considering how changes in one quantity affect another, related quantity--is a foundation of quantitative modeling in physics. Understanding quantitative models is a learning objective of introductory physics instruction at the college level. Prior work suggests that covariational reasoning in physics contexts differs in important ways from reasoning about functions and graphs in purely mathematical contexts; this reasoning is effortful in physics even for mathematically well-prepared students. In order to help students learn to reason covariationally in physics contexts, we need to characterize what we mean by physics covariational reasoning. To this end, we present a framework of covariational reasoning in physics contexts, to describe the ways that covariational reasoning is used in physics modeling. The framework can be used as a tool by which instructors can recognize physics covariational reasoning patterns and researchers can analyze student reasoning. The framework can also help inform the development of effective instructional materials and methods.