Relationship of homework complexity to quiz scores

Abstract

We demonstrate that the performance of students in an Introductory Physics course, a major stumbling block for engineers, may be improved by a regime involving complex, multiple step problems. In introductory courses the work done out of class, or homework represents the principal method of training students in the manipulation of class material. In a standard Introductory Physics course for Engineers the problems are typically short, and involve a single application of a single concept; we have demonstrated that this encourages memorization of formulae. We have examined whether the use of multiple step problems might improve student performance. A group of complex problems were devised for an Introductory Physics course. Student performance was measured on standard tests where a number of the problems had an extensive past history with which we could compare. We also assess changes in performance by using the technique of discriminant analysis which predicts student performance on the basis of historical records. Training with the complex problems raised student performance of the whole class by about half a letter grade and reduced the proportion of unsatisfactory grades by one-half. The use of complex problems for training purposes enhances the long term performance of students who we would normally expect to attain lower levels of grades.