An exploratory factor analysis of statics concept inventory data from practicing civil engineers

In many knowledge domains, the transition from novice to expert has been characterized by changes in knowledgestructure. Researchers have utilized a broad range of quantitative techniques and tools to investigate such changes. Thisstudy uses exploratory factor analysis on Statics Concept Inventory (SCI) data collected from 95 practicing civil engineersto explore their underlying, unobservable traits of basic statics concepts and compare to these from over 1300 students’data. In comparison to students’ responses, the analysis of the engineers’ data yielded a different number of underlyinglatent traits and different loading patterns of the SCI items on each trait. The four-factor model resulted in a Cronbach’salpha value of 0.84 for the whole scale, and 47.6% of total variation explained in the original set of SCI questions.Engineers’ data cluster around three student factors, Free Body Diagram, Newton’s Third Law, and Representation, andthe SCI questions were loaded in these factors based on the 3D geometric features of the bodies. Engineers’ responses to theSCI may reflect the conceptual coherence associated with knowledge of engineering practice. The engineers’ combinationof discreet concepts into broader concepts in this study might suggest the evidence about experts’ characteristics inprocessing, organizing, and storing knowledge in different chunks than novices. Understanding experts’ knowledgestructures will help inform the development of curricular materials and assessment instruments for undergraduateengineering education.