Context and consistency in students' approaches to solving problems in engineering statics

This paper examines students' responses to conceptually identical equilibrium and equivalence concept questions given in slightly different contexts, two as part of a final exam requiring explanation and the other two as part of a concept inventory. Since equivalence questions are essentially equilibrium questions from a different perspective, students were asked to apply the same concepts from two different perspectives and in two different contexts. Ideally student responses would be independent of context, but examination of students' answer selections and explanations indicates that approximately 2 in 3 students are consistent in their answers for equilibrium or equivalence questions in different contexts, but only approximately 1 in 3 students is consistent for both types of questions in both contexts. This paper builds off of previous studies of students' responses to Engineering Statics concept questions, explains the questions and methodology used in the study, and presents the results of the study.