arXiv subjects

Daryl McPadden

Publications and source records attributed to Daryl McPadden.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

"I don't have a good metric for what other people think:" Unpacking the double empathy problem in neurodivergent physics problem-solving

Learning is a social act and requires communication between interlocutors. It is a process that takes place in a socially constructed neurotypical-normative system. These neurotypical-normative systems can marginalize neurodivergent students, who oftentimes have non-normative socio-cognitive differences. We investigate 3 neurodivergent physics students' experiences solving physics problems and navigating physics culture. We use a Double-Empathy Problem lens to uncover how communication breakdowns can manifest for neurodivergent students in physics. We find that the 3 neurodivergent students experience communication breakdowns in their interactions with peers and instructors and in interpreting problem statements. Furthermore, we find evidence that neurotypical-normative communication expectations in physics culture could be the source of negative effects present in participants' interviews, such as participants' fear of being misinterpreted or feeling as though they are viewed as stupid.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2022

Students' perspectives on computational challenges in physics class

High school science classrooms across the United States are answering calls to make computation a part of science learning. The problem is that there is little known about the barriers to learning that computation might bring to a science classroom or about how to help students overcome these challenges. This case study explores these challenges from the perspectives of students in a high school physics classroom with a newly revamped, computation-integrated curriculum. Focusing mainly on interviews to center the perspectives of students, we found that computation is a double-edged sword: It can make science learning more authentic for students who are familiar with it, but it can also generate frustration and an aversion towards physics for students who are not.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2018

Denoting and Comparing Leadership Attributes and Behaviors in Group Work

Projects and Practices in Physics (P$^3$) is an introductory physics class at Michigan State University that replaces lectures with a problem based learning environment. To promote the development of group based practices, students all receive group and individual feedback at the end of each week. The groups are comprised of four students, one of which often takes on the role of being the group's "leader." Developing leadership based skills is a specific learning goal of the P$^3$ learning environment and the goal of this research is to examine what leadership-specific actions/traits students in P$^3$ demonstrate while working in their group. The initial phase of this study examined multiple pieces of literature to identify possible characteristics and behaviors that may present themselves in potential leaders -- creating a codebook. This phase of the study applies the codebook to in-class data to compare two tutor-labeled leaders and their leadership styles.

physics.ed-ph↗