What do they know? An entry-level test for electricity

Gerard Rowe

Context

• Mismatch Industry demand for more engineering

graduates vs. lack of growth in high-school pool• Growth likely from under-represented groups

and students with lower achievement levels• Academic preparedness needs to be assessed

Background

• The compulsory electrical engineering course ELECTENG 101 is perceived as “difficult”

• Pass rates have not been as high as in other year-one courses, particularly for under-represented groups such as Maori and Pacifika

• There is a perception that the modular teaching and assessment of the national high-school qualification has not prepared students well for study in this course

Diagnostic Tests

• Part 1 Electrical Engineering• Part 2 Circuit Theory, Electronics,

Electromagnetics• Ready for First Year Quiz

Diagnostic test

• Diagnostic assessment administered on day 2

• 30 minutes, 22 questions

• 20 MC & 2 free-response questions covering:– simple circuit theory– forces on charges & currents in magnetic fields– electromagnetic induction

• Questions based on high-school physics & maths

Diagnostic Test results 2007

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Mark

Frequency

Mean = 10.4

Pass rate 30%

The Diagnostic Test, a closer lookKnown conceptual misunderstandings from PER:- Sequential thinking- Misapplication of Ohm’s law- Current is “used up”

2007 Correct (D) 52%, (A) 37%

2008 Correct (D) 61%, (A) 29%

Tests for sequential thinking.2007 23% correct (B)

39% (A), 15% (E)2008 27% correct (B)

38% (A), 20% (E)

Diagnostic Tests

• Part 1 Electrical Engineering• Part 2 Circuit Theory, Electronics,

Electromagnetics• Ready for First Year Quiz

Interventions

• Minor changes to lecture delivery and content of tutorials

• Active learning in class• OASIS practice problems• Peer marking • Part 1 Assistance Centre• Part 1 Lecturers’ Network• Foundation Tutorials for at-risk (Part 2)

students

Conclusions

• The diagnostic test was valuable as a “wake-up call” and led to behavioural changes on behalf of students and some modification to course content.

• Significant (pre-tertiary) conceptual errors were identified.

• Many students appear to follow a “sequential thinking” model.

• Many students inappropriately apply Ohm’s law.• Misunderstandings can be corrected by

appropriate course interventions.

Where to from here?

• Shared NZEEL identification of learning obstacles / threshold concepts (TC)

• Shared resources for overcoming TC• Use of NZEEL wiki for dissemination• NZEEL coordination of input to NCEA/CIE/IB curricula• Design of resources for high schools• Concept inventory dissemination, evaluation,

development, refinement• Establish smalls groups to work on key areas of

curricula• Curriculum design (research vs practice) – the role of

CDIO?• Learning styles – development of variety of resources