Retention And Transfer Of Learning From Math To Physics To Engineering

Retention and transfer of learning is particularly important in the education of future engineers. Engineering majors are required to apply what they learn in their mathematics and physics courses to their engineering courses. We report on two studies. The first focuses on transfer from calculus to calculus-based physics. The second focuses on transfer from physics to engineering. We use a theoretical framework that distinguishes between two kinds of transfer processes. Based on this theoretical framework and using both qualitative and quantitative methods we examine the difficulties that learners have when they attempt to transfer their learning from mathematics to physics to engineering. Our results indicate that although students have the requisite calculus knowledge they have difficulties in applying this knowledge to physics and engineering courses. Our results also indicate that although learners see similarities between problems encountered in physics and engineering differences in notation and assumptions appear to impede transfer.