A Study On The Correlation Between Controlled Variable Reasoning And The Ability To Solve Physics Problems With Multiple Variables

In order to adapt to the development of the times and meet the needs of talent cultivation,China has issued a series of important documents to emphasize the importance of cultivating students’ core competencies,among which the ability to analyze and solve problems is the focus of improving students’ core competencies in our country.In reality,due to the abstract nature of the subject matter in physics,students find it difficult to grasp the concepts and principles involved and often resort to mechanically applying physics formulas to solve problems.This phenomenon renders them incapable of effectively analyzing the concepts,principles,and methods behind the problems and consequently,unable to solve complex physics problems.As research into students’ problem-solving skills advances,multivariable physics problems have garnered increasing attention.Such problems involve multiple physical variables,such as force,velocity,and acceleration,necessitating precise description and calculation of their interactions and influences.Therefore,studying multivariable physics problems is of paramount importance.The research approach of this paper is as follows: by studying relevant literature on the resolution of physics problems,it is found that the ability to solve physics problems is related to many factors,including mathematical ability,scientific reasoning ability,and logical thinking ability.Control variable reasoning ability is both a component dimension of scientific reasoning ability and the foundation for students to engage in scientific inquiry activities.Drawing on relevant literature,this study proposes the question,"Is there a correlation between high school students’ control variable reasoning ability and their ability to solve physics problems?" and makes the hypothesis that "there is a positive correlation between the two." On this basis,further questions are raised:(1)Is there also a positive correlation between control variable reasoning ability and the ability to solve physics problems with multiple variables?(2)Does control variable reasoning participate in the process of solving physics problems with multiple variables?(3)What are the characteristics of the thinking process used to solve physics problems with multiple variables? Finally,research content is formulated based on the questions raised,he research content of this article is:Study 1: Evaluate the controlled variable reasoning ability and physics problem solving ability of high school students,and identify the correlation between the two.Study 2: Based on the findings of Study 1,propose criteria for judging multi-variable physics problems and investigate the correlation between high school students’ controlled variable reasoning and multi-variable physics problem solving abilities.Study 3: Analyze students’ thinking processes when solving multi-variable physics problems through oral reporting.The following conclusions were drawn from the study:First,the overall quality of the testing tool is good,with high reliability and validity,and can be used to test students’ controlled variable reasoning ability,physics problem solving ability,and multi-variable physics problem solving ability.Second,students have a higher error rate in solving multi-variable controlled problems than in single-variable controlled problems,and there is a moderate positive correlation between controlled variable reasoning and physics problem solving abilities.Third,there is a moderate positive correlation between high school seniors’ controlled variable reasoning ability and multi-variable problem solving ability.Fourth,in solving multi-variable physics problems,controlled variable reasoning ability is involved,and students with strong controlled variable reasoning abilities can react more quickly in identifying variables and controlling variables.Fifth,when the relationships between variables in multi-variable physics problems are relatively clear,students are more likely to clarify the relationships between variables and use the method of controlling variables to solve problems.Conversely,when the relationships between variables are more ambiguous,students cannot correctly use the method of controlling variables.