Re: [Phys-l] Seeking Diagnostic Tests rides again

["John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>]

Unfortunately, it is usually impossible to diagnose student thinking by the
usual end of chapter problems.  This is why concept inventories have been
developed.  A good concept inventory has several questions which probe the
same concept, and can be used for diagnosis of difficulties.

Remember that the best concept inventories were developed using free
response items, interviews and careful statistical analysis.  Back of the
chapter questions are seat of the pants questions with little research.  It
is a great misconception that careful diagnosis of student difficulties is
possible without either carefully conducted research, or carefully
researched concept inventories.  Remember Feynman tried to improve
understanding, but never understood what was needed to improve learning.

If back of the chapter questions were generally good, then traditional
Halliday and Resnick students would achieve hig FCI scores.  But they don't.

One person to contact about an available concept inventory for RLC circuits
would be Ron Thornton.  There are also questions from the McDermott
tutorials that my prove to be useful.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

> Bill Rachinger wrote:
> > My earlier email indicating that I was seeking Diagnostic tests on LCR
> > circuits and opamps was regrettably ambiguous.
>
> I got a good chuckle the first time I read it.
>
> > I am seeking tests to be undertaken by students to unearth
> > misconceptions and gaps in knowledge in their studies of these two
> topics.
>
> You could get some ideas from the end-of-chapter problems in
> a suitable text.  Horowitz and Hill is still pretty much the
> gold standard.  I like it, and I've never heard anybody say
> anything bad about it.