What do they know? An entry-level test for electricity

Abstract: Industry demands an increasing number of engineering graduates. However, if first-year engineering numbers are to grow, much of the growth is likely to come from students with lower achievement levels. In order to support these students effectively, and to ensure the courses they take remain appropriate, the academic preparedness of these students must be determined. Recent changes to the way New Zealand conducts its national entry qualifications mean students may elect to take only some of the physics modules, and could well not study the electricity module at all. For these reasons, the lecturers in the year-one engineering course Electrical and Digital Systems introduced in 2007 a short diagnostic test at the start of their course to determine the level of understanding of electricity and electromagnetics possessed by the incoming students. This paper presents their findings in regard to the students’ understanding of electricity