Session Type
Presentation
Start Date
7-7-2011 10:30 AM
Keywords
chemistry, concept, inventory, evaluation, teaching
Primary Threads
Evaluation of Learning
Abstract
During the past several decades physics education specialists have been very active in the development and use of concept inventories both as diagnostic tools and as a means for evaluating instruction. Notable examples include the Force Concept Inventory (FCI)1 and the Mechanics Baseline test (MB)2, both of which education experts outside of physics have likely heard of.
The field of chemical education has not seen a similar uptake in the use of concept inventories. While examples do exist,3 they have certainly not gained the popularity experienced by the FCI. Why is this? Chemical educators are introducing new methods and technologies into their classrooms, so how are investigators analyzing their results? Is there a need for chemical concept inventory for evaluating teaching that has been proven to be both reliable and valid across institutions?
This presentation will discuss our experience using one of the currently available chemistry concept inventories. Pre- and post-test data will be presented as well as some individidual item analysis. Future directions with regards to the development and evaluation of a new test with multi-institutional testing will also be discussed.
1. D. Hestenes, M. Wells, and G. Swackhamer, “Force Concept Inventory,” Phys. Teach. 30, 141-158 (1992).
2. D. Hestenes and M. Wells, “A Mechanics Baseline Test,” Phys. Teach. 30, 159-166 (1992).
3. S. Krause, J. Birk, R. Bauer, B. Jenkins, and M. Pavelich, “Development, Testing, and Application of a Chemistry Concept Inventory” 34th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, T1G-1 (2004).
Evaluating Teaching: Re-visiting the Use of Chemistry Concept Inventories
During the past several decades physics education specialists have been very active in the development and use of concept inventories both as diagnostic tools and as a means for evaluating instruction. Notable examples include the Force Concept Inventory (FCI)1 and the Mechanics Baseline test (MB)2, both of which education experts outside of physics have likely heard of.
The field of chemical education has not seen a similar uptake in the use of concept inventories. While examples do exist,3 they have certainly not gained the popularity experienced by the FCI. Why is this? Chemical educators are introducing new methods and technologies into their classrooms, so how are investigators analyzing their results? Is there a need for chemical concept inventory for evaluating teaching that has been proven to be both reliable and valid across institutions?
This presentation will discuss our experience using one of the currently available chemistry concept inventories. Pre- and post-test data will be presented as well as some individidual item analysis. Future directions with regards to the development and evaluation of a new test with multi-institutional testing will also be discussed.
1. D. Hestenes, M. Wells, and G. Swackhamer, “Force Concept Inventory,” Phys. Teach. 30, 141-158 (1992).
2. D. Hestenes and M. Wells, “A Mechanics Baseline Test,” Phys. Teach. 30, 159-166 (1992).
3. S. Krause, J. Birk, R. Bauer, B. Jenkins, and M. Pavelich, “Development, Testing, and Application of a Chemistry Concept Inventory” 34th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, T1G-1 (2004).