[RUME] Formative Pre/post Tests For Various Disciplines
Richard Hake
rrhake at earthlink.net
Mon Jul 7 23:46:13 EDT 2008
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ABSTRACT: I give references to: (I) well-known early concept
inventories; (II) formative pre/post diagnostic tests for Astronomy,
Economics, Biology, Biomechanics, CALCULUS, Chemistry, Geoscience,
STATISTICS, Statics, and Engineering (Circuits, Computer Engineering,
Dynamics, Electromagnetics, Electronics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat
Transfer, Materials, Signals and Systems, Strength of Materials,
Thermodynamics, and Waves); and (III) seven reviews that discuss
pre/post testing.
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In response to my post "Re: Assessment practices in undergraduate
learning of medical statistics" [Hake (2008a)], a subscriber wrote to
me privately [bracketed by lines
"ANON-ANON-ANON. . . . ."]:
ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON
This statement was in your latest message:
"I think Margaret might consider the measurement of learning gains by
means of formative pre/post testing with valid and reliable tests
developed by disciplinary experts, as is currently being successfully
employed to improve the effectiveness of courses in undergraduate
astronomy, economics, biology, chemistry, economics, geoscience,
engineering, and physics."
I'm interested in the websites or references for biology, chemistry,
geoscience, and engineering formative assessment instruments. . . . .
. . . . . ..
ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON-ANON
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I. EARLY CONCEPT INVENTORIES
Among well-known early "Concept Inventories" in STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are:
a. "Force Concept Inventory" (FCI) [Hestenes et al. (1992)], and its
precursor the "Mechanics Diagnostic Test" [Halloun & Hestenes
(1985a,b)];
b. Force & Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE) [Thornton & Sokoloff (1998)].
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II. PRE/POST DIAGNOSTIC TESTS IN VARIOUS DISCIPLINES
I have listed references to formative pre/post tests for Astronomy,
Economics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Engineering in
"Re: Measuring Content Knowledge" [Hake (2004a)]. Updated references
for biology and chemistry are given in "Pre/post Tests For College
Biology" [Hake (2007a)] and "Pre/post Tests For College Chemistry"
[Hake (2007b)].
In addition:
1. Various physics-area diagnostic tests are listed at NCSU (2004)
and tests for physics and other sciences are listed in FLAG (2008)
["Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide"].
2. For formative pre/post tests in:
a. Geoscience, see Libarkin & Anderson (2005);
b. Calculus, see Epstein (2007);
c. Biomechanics, see Knudson (2006);
d. Statics, see Steif & Dantzler (2005;
e. Engineering: Circuits, Computer Engineering, Dynamics,
Electromagnetics, Electronics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer,
Materials, Signals and Systems, Strength of Materials,
Thermodynamics, and Waves - see Foundation Coalition (2004);
f. Astronomy (not previously listed), see Brogt et al. (2007)
g. Biology (not previously listed), see Khodor et al. (2004) and
Klymkowsky (2008).
h. Chemistry (not previously listed), see Pavelich et al. (2004).
i. Signal processing (not previously listed), see Buck & Wage (2005).
j. Statistics (as discussed in Hake (2008a), see Allen (2006).
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III. SEVEN REVIEWS THAT DISCUSS PRE/POST TESTING
1. "Reintroducing the Intro Course" [Stokstad (2001)].
2. "Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research" [Prince (2004)].
3. "Inquiry-Based Undergraduate Teaching in the Life Sciences at
Large Research Universities: A Perspective on the Boyer Commission
Report" [Wood (2004)].
4. "Where's the evidence that active learning works?" [Michael
(2006)]. A masterful survey by a medical-education
researcher/developer.
5. "Evidence for the Efficacy of Student-active Learning Pedagogies"
[Froyd (2007)]. Froyd is a former Project Director for the Foundation
Coalition (Engineering).
6. "Should We Measure Change? Yes!" [Hake (2007c)].
7. "Can Distance and Classroom Learning Be Increased?" [Hake (2008b)].
Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
24245 Hatteras Street, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
<rrhake at earthlink.net>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~sdi/>
"If one wished to know what knowledge or skill Johnny has acquired
over the course of a semester, it would seem a straightforward matter
to assess what Johnny knew at the beginning of the semester and
reassess him with the same or equivalent instrument at the end of the
semester. It may come as a surprise to many that measurement
specialists have long advised against this eminently sensible idea."
Lloyd Bond (2005) [Senior Scholar, Carnegie Foundation]
REFERENCES
Allen, K. 2006. "The Statistics Concept Inventory: Development and
Analysis of a Cognitive Assessment Instrument in Statistics," online
at
<https://engineering.purdue.edu/SCI/pubs/Kirk%20Allen%20dissertation.pdf>
(3.3 MB).
Bond. L. 2005. "Carnegie Perspectives: A different way to think about
teaching and learning - Who has the lowest prices," online at
<http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/perspectives/sub.asp?key=245&subkey=569>
Brogt, E., D. Sabers, E.E. Prather, G.L. Deming, B. Hufnagel, and
T.F. Slater. 2007. "Analysis of the Astronomy Diagnostic Test,"
Astronomy Education Review 1(6); online at
<http://aer.noao.edu/cgi-bin/article.pl?id=239>.
Buck, J.R. & K.E. Wage. 2005. "Active and Cooperative Learning in
Signal Processing Courses," IEEE Signal Processing Magazine 22(2):
76-81, March; online as a 573 kB pdf at <http://tinyurl.com/ymk5x8> /
"Publications," where "/" means "click on."
Epstein, J. 2007. "Development and Validation of the Calculus Concept
Inventory," in "Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on
Mathematics Education in a Global Community," 7-12 September, edited
by Pugalee, Rogerson, & Schinck; online at
<http://math.unipa.it/~grim/21_project/21_charlotte_EpsteinPaperEdit.pdf>
(48 kB).
FLAG. 2008. "Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide," online at
<http://www.flaguide.org/>: ". . . offers broadly applicable,
self-contained modular classroom assessment techniques (CAT's) and
discipline-specific tools for STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics] instructors interested in new approaches to
evaluating student learning, attitudes, and performance. Each has
been developed, tested, and refined in real colleges and university
classrooms." Assessment tools for physics and astronomy (and other
disciplines) are at <http://www.flaguide.org/tools/tools.php>.
Foundation Coalition. 2004. Concept Inventories on Chemistry,
Circuits, Computer Engineering, Dynamics, Electromagnetics,
Electronics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Materials, Signals and
Systems, Strength of Materials, Thermodynamics, and Waves; online at
<http://www.foundationcoalition.org/home/keycomponents/concept/index.html>.
Froyd. J. 2007. "Evidence for the Efficacy of Student-active
Learning Pedagogies," online at
<http://cte.tamu.edu/programs/scl.php> (188 kB).
Hake, R.R. 2004a,b. "Re: Measuring Content Knowledge," POD posts of
14 &15 Mar 2004, online at
a. <http://listserv.nd.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0403&L=pod&P=R13279&I=-3> and
b.
<http://listserv.nd.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0403&L=pod&P=R13963&I=-3>.
The URL given for computer science in "a" under "Almstrum" has
rotted.
Hake, R.R. 2007a. Pre/post Tests For College Biology," online at
<http://tinyurl.com/6f4k9c>. Post of 8 Sep 2007 22:01:17-0700 to
AP-Bio, Biopi-L, Biolab (rejected), PhysLrnR, & STLHE-L
Hake, R.R. 2007b. "Pre/post Tests For College Chemistry," online at
<http://tinyurl.com/5849w8>. Post of 9 Sep 2007 18:59:09-0700 to
AERA-C, AERA-J, AERA-L, AERA-C, AP-Chem, PhysLrnR, & STLHE-L.
Hake, R.R. 2007c. "Should We Measure Change? Yes!" online at
< http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/MeasChangeS.pdf > (2.5 MB), or
as ref. 43 at
< http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake >. To appear as a chapter in
"Evaluation of Teaching and Student Learning in Higher Education," a
Monograph of the American Evaluation Association
<http://www.eval.org/>.
Hake, R.R. 2008a. "Re: Assessment practices in undergraduate learning
of medical statistics," online on the OPEN EdResMeth archives at
<http://tinyurl.com/628alj>. Post of 5 Jul 2008 19:58:51-0700 to
ASSESS, DrEd, EdResMeth, EdStat, EvalTalk, & PhysLrnR.
Hake, R.R. 2008b. "Can Distance and Classroom Learning Be Increased?"
IJ-SoTL 2(1), January; online at
<http://tinyurl.com/2t5sro >. The "International Journal of
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning" (IJ-SoTL)
<http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ijsotl/> is an open, peer reviewed,
international electronic journal containing articles, essays, and
discussions about the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and
its applications in higher/tertiary education today.
Halloun, I. & D. Hestenes. 1985a. "The initial knowledge state of
college physics students." Am. J. Phys. 53: 1043-1055; online at
<http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html>. The print version
contains the Mechanics Diagnostic test, precursor to the widely used
Force Concept Inventory [Hestenes et al. (1992)].
Halloun, I. & D. Hestenes. 1985b. "Common sense concepts about
motion," Am. J. Phys. 53: 1056-1065; online at
<http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html >.
Hestenes, D., M. Wells, & G. Swackhamer. 1992. "Force Concept
Inventory," Phys. Teach. 30(3): 141-158, March; online (except for
the test itself) at <http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html>. The
1995 revision by Halloun, Hake, Mosca, & Hestenes is online (password
protected) at the same URL, and is currently available in 15
languages: Chinese, Czech, English, Finnish, German, Greek, Italian,
Malaysian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, &
Turkish. A French version should soon be available.
Khodor, J. , D.G. Halme, and G.C. Walker. 2004. "A Hierarchical
Biology Concept Framework: A Tool for Course Design," Cell Biology
Education 3: 111-121, Summer; online at
<http://www.lifescied.org/cgi/reprint/3/2/111>.
Klymkowsky, M.W. 2008. "Bioliteracy.net," online at
<http://bioliteracy.net/>: "Our goal is to generate, test and
distribute the tools to determine whether students are learning what
teachers think they are teaching. We assume that accurate and timely
assessment of student knowledge will pressure the educational world
toward more effective teaching. WHY? (a) Because basic understanding
of the biological sciences impacts our lives in more and more
dramatic ways every year; (b) A wide range of important personal,
social, economic and political decisions depend upon an accurate
understanding of basic biology and the means by which science
generates, tests and extends our knowledge."
Knudson, D, 2006. "Biomechanics concept inventory," Perceptual and
Motor Skills 103: 81-82; abstract online at
<http://lib.bioinfo.pl/pmid:17037646>.
Libarkin, J.C. & S.W. Anderson. 2005. "Assessment of Learning in
Entry-Level Geoscience Courses; Results from the Geoscience Concept
Inventory," Journal of Geoscience Education 53: 394-401; online at
<http://www.nagt.org/files/nagt/jge/abstracts/Libarkin_v53p394.pdf>
(240 kB).
NCSU. 2008. "Assessment Instrument Information Page," Physics
Education R & D Group, North Carolina State University; online at <
http://www.ncsu.edu/per/TestInfo.html >.
Pavelich, M., B. Jenkins. J. Birk, R. Bauer, & S. Krause. 2004.
"Development of a Chemistry Concept Inventory for Use in Chemistry,
Materials and other Engineering Courses," Proceedings of the 2004
American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference &
Exposition online at
<http://www.asee.org/acPapers/2004-1907_Final.pdf> (124 kB).
Prince, M. 2004. "Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the
Research," Journal of Engineering Education 93(3): 223-231; online at
<http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/Prince_AL.pdf>
(752 kB).
Steif, P.S. & J. Dantzler. 2005. "A Statics Concept Inventory:
Development And Psychometric Analysis," J. Eng. Educ. 33: 363-371;
online at
<http://www.me.cmu.edu/steif/papers/Statics_Concept_Inventory_Steif_Dantzler.pdf>
(256 kB).
Stokstad, E. 2001. "Reintroducing the Intro Course," Science 293:
1608-1610, 31 August; online at
<http://tinyurl.com/266973>. Stokstad wrote: "Physicists are out in
front in measuring how well students learn the basics, as science
educators incorporate hands-on activities in hopes of making the
introductory course a beginning rather than a finale."
Thornton, R.K. & D.R. Sokoloff. 1998. "Assessing student learning of
Newton's Laws: The force and motion conceptual evaluation and the
evaluation of active learning laboratory and lecture curricula," Am.
J. Phys. 66(4): 338-352; online to subscribers at
<http://scitation.aip.org/dbt/dbt.jsp?KEY=AJPIAS&Volume=66&Issue=4>.
Wood, W.B. 2003. "Inquiry-Based Undergraduate Teaching in the Life
Sciences at Large Research Universities: A Perspective on the Boyer
Commission Report," Cell Biology Education 2: 112-116; online at
<http://tinyurl.com/6buwe5>.
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