The Motivational and Transfer Potential of Disassemble/Analyze/Assemble Activities

Background Reverse engineering and product dissection, more broadly termed Disassemble/Analyze/Assemble (DAA) activities, have been a regular practice in industry. The systematic analysis of the benefits of these activities for learning and instruction is, however, a relatively recent phenomenon. A number of studies have provided highly descriptive accounts of curricula and possible learning outcomes of DAA activities, but relatively few have compared participants performing DAA activities to a control group doing more traditional activities. Purpose (Hypothesis) A study was designed to investigate the relative potential of DAA activities to motivate students and promote transfer, the ability for students to apply or adapt their knowledge to develop novel solutions. It was hypothesized that students who engaged in the DAA activity would be more motivated and would demonstrate greater transfer of knowledge. Design/Mscethod A within-subjects experiment, counterbalanced for order of treatment, was conducted with 290 first-year engineering students to compare a DAA activity to a more traditional step-by-step laboratory activity for potential effects on learning and motivation. Results The DAA activity elicited significantly higher ratings of learning, enjoyment, and perceived helpfulness than traditional instruction. On a redesign task, a significantly higher frequency of students showed transfer from the DAA activity than from the traditional instructional activity. Conclusions DAA activities may offer a potential solution to the challenge of poor instruction, a cited cause of discontentment among undergraduates in STEM. They have the potential to motivate and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge.