Abstract:
A disconnect exists between tertiary and secondary level education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. This is especially prevalent in Engineering disciplines where students are entering tertiary education and struggling to demonstrate their knowledge of fundamental physics and mathematics concepts. Despite students passing prerequisite standards at a secondary level, diagnostic testing at the tertiary level is exposing a lack of conceptual understanding held by the students. This phenomenon is predominantly driven by a reliance on rote learning and memorisation tactics being implemented at the secondary level, with students copying notes rather than engaging and interacting with their teacher and coursework. This style of learning rewards rapid recall of basic information and previous questions, but has been shown to be ineffective for establishing an understanding of complex systems with interlinking concepts. This results in an inability for students to apply their understanding in unfamiliar situations. The complex, three dimensional nature of STEM education compounds this issue as this is difficult to portray through the use of resources that are common in secondary education. Traditional pen and paper or whiteboard techniques rely on two dimensional, static drawings to represent three dimensional, dynamic scenarios. This thesis investigates these phenomena in an attempt to identify whether Software Engineering can be used to develop a novel solution to this educational issue. Presented is a conceptual framework, which combines the theories of Visualisation, Collaboration and Experiential Learning and is then adapted to target the development of educational software systems. This framework is used to develop a smartphone and tablet compatible application with the goal of improving students’ conceptual understanding of electromagnetism. The framework and application are then evaluated with a New Zealand high school to demonstrate how students’ conceptual understanding and engagement with their learning are affected.
