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http://dx.doi.org/10.18108/jeer.2019.22.4.22

Mathematical Preparedness Predicts College Grades in Physics Better than Physics Preparedness: the Predictive Validity of the Mathematical Diagnostic Test on the Freshmen's Physics Grades  

Shin, Yunkyoung (Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Ulsan)
Park, Kyuyeol (Department of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, University of Ulsan)
Lee, Ah-reum (Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Ulsan)
Jung, Jongwon (Graduate School of Education, University of Ulsan)
Publication Information
Journal of Engineering Education Research / v.22, no.4, 2019 , pp. 22-31 More about this Journal
Abstract
This study aims to elucidate the relationship between physics and mathematics to predict achievement for the college level of engineering courses. For the last 4 years, more than 3,000 engineering college freshmen of this study took the diagnostic tests on three subjects, which were physics, mathematics, and chemistry before enrollment. We studied how strongly these diagnostic scores can predict each general college course grades. The correlation between the physics diagnostic scores and the course grades in physics was .264, which was significantly lower than the correlation between the mathematics scores and the physics grades, .311. This stronger prediction of the mathematical diagnostic scores for the general course grades was not found when predicting the grades in chemistry. We therefore conclude that mathematical preparation can unexpectedly predict future achievement in physics better than physics preparation due to the academic interrelationships between mathematics and physics.
Keywords
Diagnostic test; Predictive validity; Engineering education;
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