Understanding the Transfer of Knowledge for Alternate Context Physics Questions

We build on prior research using the Dual-Process Theory of Reasoning (DPToR) framework to analyze student reasoning in algebra-based physics courses primarily taken by life-science majors. In this study, we expand on this work to examine how students' underlying conceptual knowledge impacts their reasoning on questions in alternate contexts. Specifically, we redesign traditional physics questions to incorporate contexts that are more relevant or familiar to life-science majors. We focused on two types of alternate context life-science questions: one where the change in context is purely aesthetic and one where the physical scenario is dictated by a life-science context. Half of the students received the questions in a conventional physics context, while the other half answered questions in the modified context. Both types of questions require the same physics knowledge. We examine how physics knowledge impacts performance on questions set in alternative context and discuss implications for instruction.