[Phys-L] Concept Inventories in physics, chem, biology, engr

[jane.jackson at ASU.EDU (Jane Jackson)]

Teachers ask me where they can get various research-based concept
inventories in the sciences. Such inventories are useful to determine the
effectiveness of one's teaching.

So I made the following list. (Some of these instruments aren't research-based.)

If I've forgotten a research-based inventory, please reply so that I can add it.
Cheers,
Jane Jackson


Where you can get CONCEPT INVENTORIES
IN PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, AND ENGINEERING:

1) You can download the Force Concept Inventory (FCI -- updated version:
1995) in English, Spanish, German, Malaysian, and Chinese at our web site:
    <http://modeling.asu.edu>. Click on "Research and Evaluation".
Or go directly to:
    <http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html>
They are password-protected. (For password: jane.jackson@asu.edu or
dukerich@asu.edu. Put "FCI" in the subject heading, because your email will
go into our spam quarantine, so we need to see a descriptive subject
heading.)

Also, links are at that webpage for the French, Swedish, Turkish, Finnish,
and Russian FCI.

You can download the Mechanics Baseline Test (MBT) in English, Spanish,
German, and Malaysian at the same place.  Same password. Links for getting
the Turkish and Finnish MBT.

2) Bob Beichner's website has links to many evaluation instruments in
physics. Most are for college level courses.
  <http://www.ncsu.edu/per/TestInfo.html>
Some research-based instruments are:
* TUG-K: Beichner's Test of Understanding Graphs in Kinematics is available
in English, Spanish, French, German, Finnish, and Portugese.
* CSEM: The Maloney, van Heuvelen, Hieggelke, and O'Kuma Conceptual Survey
in Electricity and Magnetism (along with a separate test on electricity and
another on magnetism).
* Energy Concepts Survey (ECS) by Chandralekha Singh:
It probes conceptual understanding of work, energy, impulse, and momentum.
For college level.
For the latest version, contact C. Singh at clsingh@pitt.edu.
* DIRECT: Determining and Interpreting Resistive Electric circuits Concepts
Test. 29 multiple choice items. By Paula Engelhardt & Bob Beichner.

3) The Workshop Physics site.
<http://physics.dickinson.edu/%7Ewp_web/wp_resources/wp_assessment.html>
I quote from what is there:
  "The Workshop Physics Action Research Kit (ARK) consists of conceptual
and attitudinal surveys appropriate for use with students who are using
Workshop Physics materials. These surveys will help you assess whether your
Workshop Physics students have learned the critical concepts and improved
their attitudes towards science and learning physics.
  The Kit Contains the Following Examinations:
The Mathematical Modeling Conceptual Evaluation (MMCE)
The Vector Evaluation Test (VET)
The Force-Motion Concept Evaluation (FMCE)
The Heat and Temperature Concept Evaluation (HCTE)
The Electric Circuits Concept Evaluation (ECCE)
The Maryland Physics Expectations Survey (MPEX) "

4) BIOLOGY: The Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection is printed in:
Anderson DL, Fisher KM, Norman GJ. 2002. "Development and Evaluation
of the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection". Journal of Research
in Science Teaching 39(10): 952-978 (Dec. 2002)

5) 12 engineering concept inventories for college students are discussed  at
www.foundationcoalition.org. Click on assessment & evaluation.
Some aren't research-based. Included are:
* Jim Birk developed 2 college-level chemistry concepts inventories,
available in fall 2004.  James.Birk@asu.edu
* Steve Krause wrote a (not research-based) Materials Concept Inventory.
* One is on thermodynamics.
  http://www.eas.asu.edu/~cresmet/cresmet_goodies/MCItestbeta32.pdf

6) Numerous science instruments are at http://www.flaguide.org/  Click on
TOOLS, etc.
They include:
* Astronomy Diagnostic Test, by Michael Zeilik and others.
MZeilik@earthlink.net
* Chemical Concepts Inventory, and related research.
* The American Chemical Society's Division of Chemical Education offers a
library of Conceptual Questions (or CQs) in their Journal of Chemical
Education OnLine that would be useful as ConcepTest questions. The site
offers questions in a variety of topics, techniques for creating CQs, and
accepts submissions of CQs.

7) Density Survey, developed by Dr. Michael Loverude, a PER physics
professor at Cal State - Fullerton. http://chaos.fullerton.edu/~loverud.
Click on "current research interests".

8) Introductory Thermal Concept Evaluation, developed by Shelley Yeo and
Marjan Zadnik of Curtin University in Western Australia. Published in The
Physics Teacher, vol. 39, p. 496-504 (Nov. 2001).  S.Yeo@curtin.edu.au
        ---------------------

Jane Jackson, Co-Director, Modeling Instruction Program
Box 871504, Dept.of Physics & Astronomy,ASU,Tempe,AZ 85287
480-965-8438/fax:965-7331 <http://modeling.asu.edu>
"Scientists explore the physical world for REPRODUCIBLE
PATTERNS, which they represent by MODELS and organize
into THEORIES according to LAWS."  - David Hestenes