Impact of using free-body diagram in mechanics problems solving for improving engineering students’ performance in physics at a selected public university in Rwanda.

Description

Mechanics is a discipline of physics that deals with the motion and forces that govern object movement. To apply fundamental principles successfully, engineering students must have a thorough understanding of mechanics. The free-body diagrams, which are visual representations of forces, assist students in identifying and analyzing forces. The current research looks into how Free-body Diagrams affect engineering students' performance in physics courses. However, many engineering students struggle to understand free-body diagrams, which might impede problem-solving. A sample of undergraduate engineering students from the University of Rwanda College of Science and Technology participated in the study. The students are separated into two groups: one for control and one for experimentation. The control group is given standard instruction, whereas the experimental group is given free-body diagram training. Before and after the intervention, both groups were evaluated on their ability to solve mechanics problems. A pre-test and a post-test are used to assess the student's performance. The results revealed that the experimental group improved much more than the control group in problem-solving performance. Furthermore, students in the experimental group expressed a more favorable attitude toward employing free-body diagrams in problem-solving activities. The research findings revealed that adding them into mechanics problem-solving education can be an effective strategy to improve engineering students' performance in physics problem-solving. The findings could also have a considerable impact on engineering education if they are implemented into the physics curriculum and teaching methods. They could potentially also be used to build instructional strategies and learning materials that foster free-body diagrams and improve students' mechanics problem-solving abilities.

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