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Undergraduate physics students are known to have difficulties with understanding mathematical tools, and with applying their knowledge of mathematics to physical contexts. Using survey statements based on student interviews and written…
We propose a framework to continuously learn object-centric representations for visual learning and understanding. Existing object-centric representations either rely on supervisions that individualize objects in the scene, or perform…
Preference-aligned robot navigation in human environments is typically achieved through learning-based approaches, utilizing user feedback or demonstrations for personalization. However, personal preferences are subject to change and might…
The purpose of the dynamics of moving systems is to search for the mathematical model that describes the link between the resultant applied force, that is the cause, and the speed of system that is the effect. This mathematical link…
Robot data collected in complex real-world scenarios are often biased due to safety concerns, human preferences, and mission or platform constraints. Consequently, robot learning from such observational data poses great challenges for…
Student beliefs in introductory physics courses can influence their course outcomes and retention in STEM disciplines and future career aspirations. This study used survey data from 501 students in the first of two-semester algebra-based…
A common problem in teaching Physics in secondary school is due to the gap in terms of difficulty between the physical concepts and the mathematical tools which are necessary to study them quantitatively. Advanced statistical estimators are…
Dynamic manipulation, such as robot tossing or throwing objects, has recently gained attention as a novel paradigm to speed up logistic operations. However, the focus has predominantly been on the object's landing location, irrespective of…
As part of human core knowledge, the representation of objects is the building block of mental representation that supports high-level concepts and symbolic reasoning. While humans develop the ability of perceiving objects situated in 3D…
Most educational literature on conceptual change concerns the process by which introductory students acquire scientific knowledge. However, with modern developments in science and technology, the social significance of learning successive…
Physics curricula across the US fail to prepare students adequately to solve problems, especially novel problems. A new curriculum, Matter and Interactions (M&I), was designed to improve student learning by organizing concepts around…
Machine learning algorithms have recently been used to predict students' performance in an introductory physics class. The prediction model classified students as those likely to receive an A or B or students likely to receive a grade of C,…
Learning good representations of historical contexts is one of the core challenges of reinforcement learning (RL) in partially observable environments. While self-predictive auxiliary tasks have been shown to improve performance in fully…
This paper describes three conceptual areas in physics that are particularly important targets for educational interventions in K-12 science. These conceptual areas are force and motion, conservation of energy, and geometrical optics, which…
This paper focuses on the educational journey of a computer engineering undergraduate student venturing into the domain of computer vision and robotics. It explores how optical flow and its applications can be used to detect moving objects…
We aim to teach robots to perform simple object manipulation tasks by watching a single video demonstration. Towards this goal, we propose an optimization approach that outputs a coarse and temporally evolving 3D scene to mimic the action…
The basic principles of General Theory of Relativity historically have been tested in gedanken experiments in rotating frame of references. One of the key issues, which still evokes a lot of controversy, is the centrifugal acceleration.…
Newton's third law is one of the most important concepts learned early in introductory mechanics courses; however, ample studies have documented a wide range of students' misconceptions and fragmented understandings of this concept that are…
Developing expertise in physics requires appropriate integration and assimilation of physics and mathematics. Instructors and students often describe physics courses in terms of their emphasis on conceptual and quantitative problem-solving.…
We consider the problem of learning preferences over trajectories for mobile manipulators such as personal robots and assembly line robots. The preferences we learn are more intricate than simple geometric constraints on trajectories; they…