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[Phys-L] Re: Force Concept Inventory for Richard H.



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In his AP-Physics post of 18 Apr 2005 16:57:19-0500 titled "Force
Concept Inventory for Richard H.," Wayne Mullins (2005) asked
(slightly edited):

"How would you know if any pre-to post-test improvement is a measure
of students' (a) physics comprehension or (b) improved vocabulary and
reading skills?"

This question regards the so-called "validity" of the test. A "valid"
test actually does measure the concepts it's intended to measure. The
FCI was intended to measure the basic concepts of Newtonian mechanics
(NOT vocabulary and reading skills). The developers of the FCI took
great care to use every-day non-technical language and simple
sentences in phrasing the questions.

Validity can only be determined by obtaining the opinion of people
who are experts in the assessed concepts. For the FCI, Newtonian
mechanics experts are in general agreement that the FCI IS valid.

For detailed explanations of test "validity" see, e.g., Slavin (1992)
and Beichner (1998). The latter gives an excellent explanation of
technical terms such as validity and reliability in terms familiar to
physicists.

BTW:

1. I would advise giving the most recent version of the FCI (Halloun
et al. (1995) and NOT the original [Hestenes et al. (1992)].

2. I have given some suggestions on administering and reporting the
results of diagnostic tests such as the FCI in "Assessment of Physics
Teaching Methods" [Hake (2002)].

3. Because the FCI originally appeared in the open literature in 1992
and has, in past years EVEN APPEARED ON THE INTERNET !! :-( , one
must take some care in interpreting the results because the test may
have propagated into some student files. Unfortunately, no one seems
willing to exert the considerable effort to develop a replacement for
the FCI that would be treated with the same confidentiality as the
MCAT.

4. For other diagnostic tests see FLAG (2005) and NCSU (2005).

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>

RFEFERENCES
Beichner, R.J. 1994. "Testing student interpretation of kinematics
graphs," Am. J. Phys. 62(8): 750-762.

FLAG. 2003. "Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide; online at
<http://www.flaguide.org/>: ". . . offers broadly applicable,
self-contained modular classroom assessment techniques (CAT's) and
discipline-specific tools for STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics] instructors interested in new approaches to
evaluating student learning, attitudes, and performance. Each has
been developed, tested, and refined in real colleges and university
classrooms." Assessment tools for physics and astronomy (and other
disciplines) are at <http://www.flaguide.org/tools/tools.php>.

Hake, R.R. 2002. "Assessment of Physics Teaching Methods, Proceedings
of the UNESCO-ASPEN Workshop on Active Learning in Physics, Univ. of
Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2-4 Dec. 2002; also online as ref. 29 at
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/>, or download directly by clicking on
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/Hake-SriLanka-Assessb.pdf> (84 kB).

Halloun, I., R.R. Hake, E.P Mosca, D. Hestenes. 1995. Force Concept
Inventory (Revised, 1995); online (password protected) at
<http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html>. (Available in English,
Spanish, German, Malaysian, Chinese, Finnish, French, Turkish,
Swedish, and Russian.)

Hestenes, D., M. Wells, & G. Swackhamer, 1992. "Force Concept
Inventory." Phys. Teach. 30: 141-158; online (except for the test
itself) at <http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html>. The test is
password protected and available in English, Spanish, German,
Malaysian, Chinese, Finnish, French, Turkish, Swedish, and Russian.

Mullins, W. 2005. "Forces Concept Inventory for Richard H.,"
AP-Physics post of 18 Apr 2005 16:57:19-0500. To access this post one
must subscribe to AP-Physics at
<http://lyris.collegeboard.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?site=collegeboard&enter=ap-physics>
and then attempt to locate the post on the antediluvian LYRIS
archives.

NCSU. 2005. "Assessment Instrument Information Page," Physics
Education R & D Group, North Carolina State University; online at
<http://www.ncsu.edu/per/TestInfo.html>.

Slavin, R.E. 1992. "Research Methods in Education." Allyn and Bacon, 2nd ed.
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