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Features of FLAG - was Looking for mathematics attitudes/beliefs instrument



Please excuse this cross-post, in the interests of interdisciplinary
synergy, to discussion lists with archives at:

AERA-D (Measurement and Research Methodology)
<http://lists.asu.edu/archives/aera-d.html>,
Math-Learn <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/math-learn/>,
Math-Teach <http://mathforum.org/epigone/math-teach>,
Phys-L <http://lists.nau.edu/archives/phys-l.html>,
PhysLrnR <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/physlrnr.html>,
Physhare <http://lists.psu.edu/archives/physhare.html>,

In his PhysLrnR post of 25 Oct 2002 16:27:06-0600, titled "Re:
Looking for mathematics attitudes/beliefs instrument," Astronomer
Mike Zeilik wrote:

"We have math assessment tools on the FLAG. . . . (Field-tested
Learning Assessment Guide). . . . . Check the URL . . .
(<http://www.flaguide.org>).

Considering the importance of assessment/evaluation tools in
education reform (see, e.g., Stokstad 2001; Hake 2002a,b) it would
seem that FLAG deserves to be better known among educators. FLAG
contains assessment instruments for agriculture, astronomy, biology,
chemistry, computer science, engineering, interdisciplinary areas,
mathematics, and physics.

To find these discipline specific tools go to
<http://www.flaguide.org/tools/tools.htm>, click on "Tools sorted by
disciplines" to obtain
<http://www.flaguide.org/tools/tools_discipline.htm>, and scroll to
the discipline of interest.

For example, scrolling to "Mathematics" brings up various attitude
surveys, conceptual diagnostic tests, and tests of mathematical
thinking. Jerry Epstein's (1997-98, 1999) "Basic Skills Diagnostic
Test" (BSDT), mentioned in (Hake 2002c), appears under "Conceptual
Diagnostic Tests" with Jerry's recommended email address
<jepstein@duke.poly.edu>, different from that given earlier in Hake
(2002c).

A useful feature of FLAG is the "Tool search engine" at
<http://www.flaguide.org/tools/newsearch.asp>. If one needs, e.g., a
test of student attitudes towards mathematics, then specification of
"Mathematics," "Attitudes," and "Attitude Inventory" brings up:
"Views About Sciences Survey (VASS) [Halloun & Hestenes (1998)],
Halloun (1997)] and "Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics"
[Dauphinee et al. (1997), Schau et al. (1995)].

Another valuable FLAG feature is its on-line "Tool Submission Form"
at <http://www.flaguide.org/tools/tools.htm>. Subscribers might
consider submitting assessment tools to FLAG. Among possible
candidates are Alkhateeb, (2001) and Crawford et al. (1998), as
mentioned in Hake (2002c).


Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
24245 Hatteras Street, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
<rrhake@earthlink.net>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~sdi>


REFERENCES
Alkhateeb, H.M. 2001. "University students' conceptions of first-year
mathemtics." Psychological Reports, 89, 41-47. Replicates the factor
scales of Crawford et al. (1998).

Crawford, K., S. Gordon, J. Nicholas, & M. Prosser. 1998. "University
mathematics students' conceptions of mathematics," Studies in Higher
Education 23: 87-94. See also Alkhateeb (2001).

Dauphinee, T. L., C. Schau, & J. J. Stevens. 1997. "Survey of
Attitudes Toward Statistics: Factor structure and factorial
invariance for females and males." Structural Equation Modeling 4(2):
129-141.

Epstein, J. 1997-98. "Cognitive development in an integrated
mathematics and science program." J. of College Science Teaching
12/97 & 1/98:194-201.

Epstein, J. 1999. "What is the real level of our students?" unpublished.

Hake, R.R. 2002a. "Lessons from the physics education reform effort."
Conservation Ecology 5(2): 28; online at
<http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss2/art28>. "Conservation Ecology," is
a FREE "peer-reviewed journal of integrative science and fundamental
policy research" with about 11,000 subscribers in about 108 countries.

Hake, R.R. 2002b. "Assessment of Student Learning in Introductory
Science Courses," 2002 PKAL Roundtable on the Future: "Assessment in
the Service of Student Learning," Duke University, March 1-3; updated
version of 1 June 2002 is online at
<http://www.pkal.org/events/roundtable2002/papers.html> (often
off-line) and as ref. 15 at <http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/>.

Hake, R.R. 2002c. "Re: Looking for mathematics attitudes/beliefs
instrument - OOPS! 24 Oct 2002 16:22:12-0700 post to AERA-D,
Math-Learn, Math-Teach, PhysLrnR, PHYS-L, Physhare; online at
<http://lists.asu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0210&L=aera-d&O=D&P=6504>.

Halloun, I. & D. Hestenes. 1998. "Interpreting VASS Dimensions and
Profiles," Science & Education 7(6): 553-577; online
- password protected - at <http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html>.

Halloun, I. 1997. "Views About Science and Physics Achievement: The
VASS Story. In "The Changing Role of Physics Departments in Modern
Universities: Proceedings of the ICUPE, ed. by E.F. Redish and J.S.
Rigden, (American Institute of Physics), pp. 605-613; online at
<http://www.inco.com.lb/halloun/hallounTEST.html>.

Schau, C., J. Stevens, T. Dauphinee, & A. Del Vecchio. 1995. "The
development and validation of the Survey of Attitudes Toward
Statistics." Educational & Psychological Measurement 55(5): 868-876.

Stokstad, E. 2001. "Reintroducing the Intro Course." Science 293:
1608-1610, 31 August 2001: "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"; online at
<http://www.sciencemag.org. Non-AAAS members may access the
article by taking a few minutes to complete a free limited-access registration.

This posting is the position of the writer, not that of SUNY-BSC, NAU or the AAPT.