Catalytic Activity Rewriting the Midterm Examination for Physical Science

1
Catalytic Activity-Rewriting the Midterm
Examination for Physical Science

• And Using Item Analysis to Detect Student
  Misconceptions and Improve Instruction

2
Teaching is a complex profession. It requires
constant learning and continual reflection.
(Lin, H., J. Chem Educ. 2005, 82 (10), 1569.)

• GOALS
• To rewrite the midterm examination to include
  higher-level questions that would more closely
  resemble expected PSSA Science assessment
• To distribute the test to other grade level
  Science teachers for their use
• To analyze student responses to questions in
  order to improve future instruction

3
METHODS

• Resource material for constructing test questions
  for my midterm came from 2 main sources.
• Some questions were used verbatim. More often,
  the style and type of question was emulated.
• PDE Website PSSA sample questions
• 2006-2007Gr11ScienceItemSampler.pdf
• NAEP Website National Assessment from the US
  Department of Education
• NAEPpdf.pdf

4
METHODS

• The test was constructed in order to assess the
  Chemistry content taught in the first half of the
  school year
• Emphasis on eligible content
• Emphasis on science processing skills
• Greater use of graphs, tables and descriptions of
  experiments to improve link between Nature of
  Science and science content

5
RESULTS

• Midterm (Answer Key)
• Positive feedback from other grade level teachers
  using the new midterm
• Evoked discussion on content that we need to
  emphasize especially Nature of Science
• Informed teachers on inadequacies in student
  understanding of some topics

6
RESULTS

• Each question was evaluated to determine the
  percent of students that answered correctly
  (Sample Data)
• Questions that more than half of all students
  answered incorrectly were noted as areas
  requiring greater curriculum emphasis

7
CONCLUSIONS

• Major misunderstandings of students
• Experimental design (Q 2-4)
• Mixed up phase of matter descriptions (Q 22
  25) (Decoding problem?)
• Interpreting solubility graph of gas (Q 27)
• Reason for ice density less than liquid water (Q
  36)
• Interpreting graphs of phase changes (Q 35)
  Temperature of water boiling

8
CONCLUSIONS

• Students need more practice with interpreting
  graphs. My hypothesis is that the students have
  a basic understanding of the curricular content,
  but are not able to evaluate the summary of data
  in graphical form. The students are not making
  the connection between what they know and a
  symbolic representation of the knowledge.

9
CONCLUSIONS

• There should be more overall emphasis on science
  process skills in the curriculum. Students lack
  understanding of experimental design. Inquiry
  investigations would be beneficial.