Re: Conceptual Tests

[John Clement <clement@HAL-PC.ORG>]

A second thought is to give a test in the native language.  The FCI and MBT
have been translated into several languages and some of these are available
at the Modeling web site.  You will have to get a password to be able to use
them.  http://modeling.la.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html  You have the choice of
Spanish, German, Malaysian, Chinese and Finnish.  Sorry no French, Armenian,
Albanian, Arabic, or Serbo-Croatian.  I assume they all have the same answer
key.

I was under the impression that good problem statements are even more wordy.
Actually one can make the point that testing is unfair.

At this point it should be obvious why it is difficult to evaluate the
effectiveness of various curricula.  Teachers have long ago learned that
they can pay lip service to admin. and then do what they want.  As a result
when a school adopts a curriculum some teachers never really use it.
Teachers have been through so many waves of reform that they have learned to
ignore them and outwait them.  Many schools will have 20 year teachers but
only 3 year administrators.  As a result both the good and the bad are
thrown out.  I have never heard of anyone being fired for giving dull
lectures, plug and chug problem sets, and uninspired tests with high
averages.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

> At 16:18 2/18/02 -0600, you wrote:
> > Hello
> > My boss wants me to give a presentation on the assesment of students =
> > I have done.  I have used the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation.=
> >   She has seen this and has told me it is invalid for my student popu=
> > lation.  THe reason:  the questions are too long and wordy since my p=
> > opulation is half non-native students.=20
> >
> > SO the question is Has there been any research into how non-native sp=
> > eakers of english do on these conceptual evaluation.
> >
> > Also, she doenst want conceptual evaluations.  She wants them to work=
> >  problems.  I tell her that is not where the research is pointing but=
> >  she says that conceptual is unfair.
> >
> > I dunno, I ask you
> >
> > Tina
> >
> > Tina Fanetti
>
>
> This is an exceptionally cogent criticism - if it is true that tests
> of the F & MCE are more wordy than other tests.
>   If there are conceptual tests which are LESS wordy than comparable tests
> then you can be properly remorseful in respect of unconscious
> discrimination and express a wish to move to the more graphical
> or brief ones.