TY - GEN
T1 - Understanding the Factors that Promote Students Learning in Thermodynamics
AU - Akangah, Paul
AU - Ofori-Boadu, Andrea
AU - Davis, Francis
AU - Anyanhun, Awele
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Thermodynamics is an important subject in engineering training and forms the basis of pure engineering sciences. However, the performance of students in thermodynamics nation-wide is poor. Not all students with high GPA (GPA>3.0) are able to pass thermodynamics at the first attempt. This study seeks to understand the correlation between the success-rate in the Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (MEEN241) course and the following dependent variables: General Physics (PHYS241), combined Quizzes and Reading Quizzes (RRQ), Homework (HW), Tests (T), Midterm Examination (MT), Final Examination (FE), and students’ prior GPA. We also designed assignments and assessments to capture acquired skills. These assignments and assessments test high-level thinking skills such as applying a thermodynamic principle to illuminate a problem. The research question this study tries to answer is: “How does success in RRQ and prior knowledge in thermodynamics (PHYS241) impact the success-rate in MEEN241? To answer this question, we design a machine learning algorithm that is made up of decision-tree, random forest ensemble and Naïve Bayes classifiers that takes as input, the academic data of students (N = 111) enrolled in MEEN241. The machine learning algorithm makes the prediction by popular vote. The machine learning model has an accuracy of 86.49%. The class-recall is respectively, 90.48 and 81.25%, for true-pass and true-failed. The class-precision is respectively, 86.36 and 86.67%, for predicated-pass and predicted-failed. RRQ is the root-node in six out of seven classifiers while PHYS241 was eliminated because the information content was less than the 0.1 threshold. These results show that success in RRQ impacts positively on the success-rate in meen241 while also showing that prior knowledge in the form of PHYS241 has no influence on the success-rate in MEEN241. This study suggests that students’ success depends on developing and constantly improving good pedagogy and good study habits.
AB - Thermodynamics is an important subject in engineering training and forms the basis of pure engineering sciences. However, the performance of students in thermodynamics nation-wide is poor. Not all students with high GPA (GPA>3.0) are able to pass thermodynamics at the first attempt. This study seeks to understand the correlation between the success-rate in the Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (MEEN241) course and the following dependent variables: General Physics (PHYS241), combined Quizzes and Reading Quizzes (RRQ), Homework (HW), Tests (T), Midterm Examination (MT), Final Examination (FE), and students’ prior GPA. We also designed assignments and assessments to capture acquired skills. These assignments and assessments test high-level thinking skills such as applying a thermodynamic principle to illuminate a problem. The research question this study tries to answer is: “How does success in RRQ and prior knowledge in thermodynamics (PHYS241) impact the success-rate in MEEN241? To answer this question, we design a machine learning algorithm that is made up of decision-tree, random forest ensemble and Naïve Bayes classifiers that takes as input, the academic data of students (N = 111) enrolled in MEEN241. The machine learning algorithm makes the prediction by popular vote. The machine learning model has an accuracy of 86.49%. The class-recall is respectively, 90.48 and 81.25%, for true-pass and true-failed. The class-precision is respectively, 86.36 and 86.67%, for predicated-pass and predicted-failed. RRQ is the root-node in six out of seven classifiers while PHYS241 was eliminated because the information content was less than the 0.1 threshold. These results show that success in RRQ impacts positively on the success-rate in meen241 while also showing that prior knowledge in the form of PHYS241 has no influence on the success-rate in MEEN241. This study suggests that students’ success depends on developing and constantly improving good pedagogy and good study habits.
M3 - Conference contribution
BT - Unknown book
ER -