Determining how context matters in an algebra-based physics class

The Dual-Process Theory of Reasoning (DPToR) is one of the theoretical frameworks used to examine students' reasoning in physics.So far, this framework has mainly been employed to analyze student reasoning in introductory calculus-based physics courses.In this study, we apply the framework and its corresponding methodology to explore student reasoning in algebra-based courses primarily taken by students majoring in life sciences.Additionally, we redesigned a set of traditional physics tasks to incorporate more familiar and relevant contexts for life science majors.Both the original and modified versions require the application of the same physics knowledge and skills but differ in context.The aim was to investigate how, if at all, these contextual modifications affect reasoning.The results largely replicate those documented in calculus-based physics courses, showing no observable effects of contextual changes on reasoning patterns.This finding highlights the robustness of the reasoning mechanisms described by DPToR.