Research On Senior High School Physics Learners' Thinking Strategies Of Problem-solving And The Present Applications

The central purpose of this thesis is to explore senior high school physics learners' thinking strategies in problem-solving, and on this foundation, study the relationship between the learners' application of thinking strategies in problem-solving and their achievements in physics, and further evaluate the present level of problem-solving strategies application to senior high school physics study, so as to provide suggestions for the teaching of problem-solving strategies in senior high school physics. The main methods adopted are verbal protocols and questionnaires. The researcher surveys the application of problem-solving thinking strategies of 332 senior school physics learners from Nanjing Foreign Language School, Nanjing Jinling Middle School, Nanjing Renmin Middle School, and Kaifeng No. 10 Middle School. This research draws the following conclusions.1 Based on the results of teachers' interviews and students' verbal protocols, the questionnaire has relatively high reliability and validity. The application level of problem-solving strategy can be measured and evaluated.2 In the research, there are nine strategies. They are analogical source activated and adjusted strategy, result checking strategy, deep-digging strategy, reflection and extension of thoughts strategy, physical process clarification strategy, bidirectional reasoning strategy, illustration of physical process connection strategy, problem-solving procedure clarification strategy, linguistic symbol switching strategy. These nine strategies can be classified into three categories: analogical source activated and adjusted strategy, problem-handling strategy, and reflection and extension of thoughts strategy.3 There is significant difference among excellent learners, average learners and poor learners in their level and sense of strategy application. The marks show that excellent learners' level of strategy application is obviously higher than that of average learners while poor learners' level is the lowest. This proves that the level of strategy application has forecasting function for learners' achievement in physics.4 (1) Present condition of senior high school learners' strategy application: generally, it is at a level above the medium; there are significant differences concerning schools, genders and grades; in specific strategy application, some exhibit significant difference while others do not. (2) Present condition of strategy application sense: generally, it is also at a level above the medium; there are significant differences concerning schools and genders, but no significant difference in relation to grades.