Re: calculus-based physics final exam

[Aaron Titus <titus@MAILAPS.ORG>]

I'm not sure being too hard is a problem. I've heard that a mean near
50% is actually desirable (in testing and measurement "theory"). The
main thing that I want is the ability to compare my students' scores to
those of students at other institutions.

I agree with you that the "control over the curriculum" may be the
problem. I'm not even sure that most physics teachers would agree
regarding what should be taught in the introductory calculus-based
course and the tasks students should be expected to perform on a test.

Then again, we all had to take the GRE in physics...

AT


On Wednesday, April 16, 2003, at 05:22 PM, Hugh Haskell wrote:

> At 15:34 -0400 4/16/03, Aaron Titus wrote:
> > BTW the ACS publishes such exams for chemistry. I wish APS would do
> > the
> > same thing.
> That is one way that the ACS maintains a certain amount of control
> over curricula in chemistry. If APS and/or AAPT wanted to influence
> the physics curriculum, they could do the same.
>
> However, this is a slippery slope, since there are any number of
> agencies that assert control over curricula, including the Feds. And
> they need to be careful. If the test is too easy, their purpose will
> be defeated, and if it is too comprehensive, or too difficult, no one
> will use it, and again, their purpose will be defeated. So they have
> to learn to walk that fine line. I suspect, over the years, that the
> ACS has gotten reasonably good at walking that line.
>
> Hugh
> --
>
> Hugh Haskell
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> <mailto:hhaskell@mindspring.com>
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