Current physics education research has demonstrated that, when not taught directly, students have a wide range of conceptual resources regarding the use of variables upon entering introductory physics. There is a growing body of work that characterizes students’ use of variables and how students connect variables to their physical meaning (Brahmia 2019). We build on this work by seeking to better understand how students are making sense of variables in introductory physics labs. Data was collected from students’ responses to lab curriculum on the online lab platform, Pivot Interactives, from the 2020-2021 academic year. By examining students’ variable choice when graphing experimental data over the course of a quarter, we are able to identify emerging commonalities in variable use and how the variables students choose correlates with the students’ broader understanding of quantitative reasoning. Preliminary data from student graphs of position versus time show a prevalence of students using math-like variables, such as y and x, instead of variables traditionally used to represent these quantities in physics, such as x to represent position and t to represent time. Use of math-like variables in a physical context suggests that these students’ may have not yet formed a strong association between the variable itself and the meaning of the physical quantity it represents. Insights into student variable use and its relationship to the students’ overall quantitative reasoning can help instructors consider effective methods that adapt curriculum to directly address the use and meaning of variables within physics. By doing so, instructors may have an opportunity to directly impact their students’ quantitative reasoning – a skill valued across all STEM disciplines.

Pitch perception in noise is a critical skill for children to have because it allows them to enjoy music, understand speech, communicate, and learn in noisy real-world environments like playgrounds and classrooms. To date, little is known about how well school-aged children can discriminate pitch in background noise. In this study, we evaluated pitch perception in normal hearing children between 8 and 11 years of age (n=32) and adults (n=16) by administering a remote 3-Alternative Forced-Choice (3-AFC) adaptive pitch discrimination task on MATLAB Web Apps while monitoring participants’ behavior over Zoom. The study consisted of three conditions, each with three runs: (1) 200 Hz pure tone in quiet, (2) Resolved harmonics 2 to 9 of a 200 Hz fundamental frequency (F0) in noise and (3) Unresolved harmonics 12 to 19 of a 200 F0 in noise. Musical training and tonal language experience were documented in all participants. My role in this study included participant recruitment, data acquisition, analysis, and manuscript preparation. Preliminary analyses suggest that children perform worse in the condition with the higher numbered harmonics (unresolved condition), which is also more difficult for adult listeners. Moreover, improvement in all three conditions is observed with age, with the older children discriminating pitch as well as adults for both pure and complex tones. This study provides important insight into the developmental trajectory of pitch perception. In the next phase of analysis, we will investigate the role of music experience on children’s perception of pitch in noise.

While millions of Americans have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), many undiagnosed individuals suffer from at least one of ADHD’s symptoms. Symptoms such as poor attention spans, lack of attention to detail, loss of focus, and many more can affect anyone’s life—in the workplace, at school, and during social engagements. This project seeks to explore how technology usage affects the development and existence of attention-deficit behaviors. We want to focus on specific technological platforms and explore any possible influence on attention-deficit behaviors. To do this, we are utilizing a mixed methods approach of case studies and surveys to evaluate the presence of attention-deficit behaviors, frequency and methods of technology usage, and relationships between the two. Using surveys and psychological scales of measurement for ADHD, we can gather a holistic understanding of how the general population uses technology and how attention-deficit behaviors present themselves. Our case studies reinforce information gathered from these surveys and provide more detailed data to enable a comprehensive analysis. We predict that high volumes of technology usage, especially within certain platforms, can encourage the development of attention-deficit behaviors and exacerbate existing issues with attention. If we find this to be true, our results can guide the design and delivery of future informational content within education institutions and workplaces. These results can also encourage a re-evaluation of technology usage to reduce attention deficient behaviors.