Engineering Commons^™

Common Misconceptions Found In A Statics Course Through Discourse Analysis Of Student Learning Logs, Christopher Green

Research on the Hill (Salt Lake City)

Statics is a gateway engineering course. Many students use their performance in a statics course to evaluate and judge their desire to continue within an engineering field. Students’ performance can be adversely impacted by misconceptions they may have regarding class content and analysis techniques. Feedback from instructors can help students navigate through their misconceptions. It is critical that this feedback be concise and timely to prevent a slip in self-efficacy, or an increase in their frustration. Both factors can negatively impact a student’s desire to persist in engineering. Implementation of online learning logs allows students a timely communication avenue that …