Student difficulties with kinematics concepts and their representations by linear graphs are well known. Several specific learning difficulties have been identified and reported, mainly from studies at the introductory university physics level.1–4 In this paper we investigate the effectiveness of active learning strategies versus traditional instruction on the development of student understanding of kinematical concepts, and their graphical representations, by high school students. We also examine the retention of acquired kinematic concepts and whether it might be affected by subsequent (traditional) instruction.

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A summary of this document is available online in EPAPS Document E-PHTEAH-43-008506.
This document may be retrieved via the EPAPS homepage (http://www.aip.org/pubservs/epaps.html) or from ftp.aip.org in the directory epaps in the phys_teach folder. See the EPAPS homepage for more information.
9.
The questions and results shown in bar graph form are reproduced in the file titled “Questions,” available online in EPAPS Document E-PHTEAH-43-008506. See Ref. 8.
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Interactive engagement vs traditional methods: A six thousand student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics
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11.
In Ref. 10, Hake identifies regions of high (g > 0.7), medium (0.7 < g < 0.3), and low (g < 0.3).
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