Understanding Student Sensemaking while solving Physics Problems

Understanding student sensemaking in physics problem solving can play an important role in developing effective scaffolding support and designing curricula and pedagogies. Few prior studies have focused on advanced students’ sensemaking. This study investigates how advanced students navigate the problem-solving process in upper-level electricity and magnetism course using the epistemic game framework proposed by Tuminaro and Redish. We conducted interviews with upper-level undergraduate and graduate students and observed their sensemaking and reasonings while they solved physics problems. The analysis reveals how students approach physics problems, and what resources were activated while sensemaking. Our research can be valuable for instructors and researchers to understand how advanced students do sensemaking while solving advanced physics problems in the context of electricity and magnetism.