The Impact Of Working Memory Span And Conceptual Of Physical Representation On Problem-solving

Problem solving is the core issues of our interest,and working memory span can predict the evalutionof the cognitive ability, working memry span within the visual space may be an important factor whichinfluence the problem solving. The same level of the concept representation can also influence the problemsolving, however, there isn’t enough research on the spatial working memory capacity and levels ofrepresentation of physical concept to solving physical problems. Thus, this study aims to explore theinfluence of working memory span and the level of representation of the physics concepts for the studentsof the second year of secondary school to solve the physical problems。This sady used165students(the secondyear of the secondary school)as the subjects, and mix design of2×2×3. Visual-spatial working memoryspan(high/low)and levels of concept representation(deep/shallow) are between-subject variables. Problem difficulty levels(low medium high) arewithin-subjects variables. The main result of the study include:(1). There is positive corelation between the working memory span and levels of representation ofphysical concept.(2). The levels of representation of physical concept make a significant influnce to solving physicalproblems, and different levels of questions have different influence.(3). Both working memory span and question difficulty levels make a significant influence to thephysical problems solve.(4). Working memory span and the levels of representation of physical concept influence the physicalproblems solve at the same time, in different difficulty levels of the influence to the problem slove, thereare significant selectived interaction.(5). Under the conditions that the diagram is whether or not, subjects with the same working memryspan make different influence to physical problems solve.The teaching significance of this study was that provided theory basis and guidance method foreducators to effectively organize teaching content and conduct individual instruction according to studentsworking memory characteristic，while provided reference and basis for decision．making for educators topay attention to training students’visuospatial ability and imperiving the level of conceptual representation by discussion on physics problems solving that have been Influenced by both the working memory and thelevel of conceptual representation of physics.