How Engineering Students Understand and Interpret Graphics Using Spreadsheets an Empirical Study in Physics Courses

The process of learning graphics is fundamental to students' instruction; it is applied to interpreting data, understanding information, and making decisions based on graphical representations. This instruction began in the early years and continued through post-graduate instruction. The use of graphics as a process of communication between people is crucial for aiding the decision-making process in various phenomena. Much research has been conducted to analyze the challenges of learning graphic interpretation and understanding, exploring the types of graphics, variable behavior, and students' misconceptions. The learning science and engineering using the electronic spreadsheet cycle (LSEESC) methodology has demonstrated a positive impact on students' learning and skill development. This impact includes numerical manipulation, understanding mathematical models, and the process of generating and interpreting graphics correctly. Present research is an empirical examination of implementing the LSEESC methodology in three different learning scenarios (virtual, hybrid, and face-to-face). Preliminary results demonstrate a positive learning process in graphics generation, understanding, and interpretation among first-year engineering students taking physics courses. To analyze this impact, quantitative methods such as Normalized Conceptual Gain (NCG), Concentration Factor (CF), and Rasch's index were applied, all results present positive values for all the statistical analyses. We concluded that the effectiveness of the LSEESC methodology is independent of the learning scenario, demonstrating its applicability to the learning process of graphics generation, understanding, and interpretation for engineering students. Additionally, the methodology complements the development of other skills such as numerical manipulation and the understanding of mathematical models.