Comparison of Achievement Before and After Studying the Basics of Force and Moment Mechanics using Engineering Mechanics Teaching Documents

Abstract

Engineering Mechanics is a fundamental course essential for developing a deep understanding of forces and moments, which are critical for analyzing structural systems
in engineering. However, due to the low level of comprehension among students, this study aims to compare students’ learning achievement before and after studying the fundamental concepts of forces and moments using a specially designed instructional document for Course: Engineering Mechanics with first-year undergraduate students. This research employed a quantitative methodology using a One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design, involving 31 first-year undergraduate students in the Department of Civil Technical Education, Faculty of Technical Education, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Khon Kaen Campus. The data were collected through three sets of pretest and posttest assessments. Analysis using the Paired Sample t-test revealed that the average pretest score was 2.85, while the posttest average was 8.14, showing a statistically significant difference at the .05 level in all three tests, especially in Test 2 and
Test 3, where posttest scores increased markedly. The findings indicate that instructional materials tailored to the specific learning characteristics of vocational students can effectively enhance structural understanding and simplify complex mechanics content. Additionally,
they promote hands-on learning and help students meaningfully connect theoretical concepts to real-world situations. This research contributes academically by proposing an effective instructional strategy suited to vocational students and supports educational quality in foundational engineering subjects.