Analysis of the impact of testing frequency on student performance in a basic thermodynamics course

Abstract

Many engineering courses, such as Thermodynamics, have topics which build upon the material previously learned in the course. For example, students will have difficulty learning the Second Law of Thermodynamics if they have not mastered the First Law. Unfortunately, many students delay studying material in courses until an exam is drawing near. This can be a particular problem in a course which does not inherently interest a student, such as a non-Mechanical Engineering student required to take Thermodynamics as a course outside their major. As a result, they may find themselves well behind in a course and struggling with the material currently being taught because they had not spent enough time learning earlier material while it was being covered in class. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2013.