Projectile motion in physics: A survey assessment of retained understandings and how traditional and nontraditional adult college students believe they learned them

survey was completed of technological college students comprised of traditional and non-traditional adult students (median age 21, mean age 24) who have completed, one to three years previously, a course in algebra-trigonometry based physics. The survey response rate was 74%. Information was obtained about their current understandings regarding the attributes of projectile motion, their self-assessment of their current understanding of projectile motion, and their evaluation of the instructional components that were most influential in their acquiring an understanding of projectile motion. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) Adults who demonstrated a high level of understanding of the attributes of projectile motion immediately following instruction will demonstrate a high level of understanding a year or more after instruction; (2) Adults who demonstrate a high level of understanding of projectile motion a year or more after instruction will rate themselves high on self-confidence about their understanding of the attributes of projectile motion; (3) Adults who demonstrated a high level of understanding of the attributes of projectile motion a year or more after instruction will rate laboratory activities as very important or extremely important to their acquiring an understanding of the attributes of projectile motion. Three hypotheses were confirmed at a p =...