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Re: [Phys-l] DIAGNOSTIC/REMEDIAL TESTS IN INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS



I read through a number of these questions and found many of good quality
but too many that were frustrating and ambiguous.

Two quick examples: In the images and Plane Mirrors section, the first
question tries to distinguish 'sources' of light. Answer G (a poster on your
bedroom wall) is ruled as not acceptable. If you were sitting in the room
and glanced in a mirror and saw the poster, as a physicist you would call
the poster the 'source' and what you saw in the mirror the 'image'. Also,
answer F (A mirror) is ruled unacceptable. The photons reaching you eye from
the mirror are not the ones that struck the mirror. Since the mirror
reradiates new photons, why not consider it a source.

The second question considers a candle flame and the candle that produces
it. The question is 'why do you see the wax from the candle in a darkened
room?'. Answer B (Light from the flame is conducted down the inside of the
wax candle. Some of this leaks out of the candle and reaches your eyes) is
ruled out. I happened to be reading this while my daughter had a large
scented candle burning in the room. We turned off the room lights and looked
at the candle. The light was coming (glowing) out of the wax to almost half
way down the candle. We could barely see the rest of the candle (answer C)
in the darkened room.

I could go on.

This seems like one of those tests made up by science educators who have
very specific situations in mind when they write the questions, or are
looking at a specific example in a textbook and simple transcribe it into a
general test question. There is no attempt to consider the ways that an
imaginative child might interpret the question or consider how someone who
has a slightly different interpretation of the words might choose an answer.
Even worse, many of the preferred answers actually seemed unphysical - or
simply one of many correct outcomes.

With all due respect, I found very little 'remedial' quality to the test.

Bob at PC

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-
bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Bill Rachinger
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 5:29 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: [Phys-l] DIAGNOSTIC/REMEDIAL TESTS IN INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS


<>Following a change in School/ Departmental structure, these 11 tests,
the details of which are listed below, have been moved to the Website of
the School of Physics, Monash University, Australia
http://www.physics.monash.edu.au/community/tests.html <>
These Tests are, in part, directed towards unearthing and attempting to
correct some of the many preconceptions/misconceptions which students
bring to their initial studies of Physics.
The tests are:
1 The Nature of Light
2 Images and Plane Mirrors
3 Images and Curved Mirrors
4 Images and Lenses
5 Movement-Basic Ideas
6 Velocity and Acceleration
7 Vectors
8 Kinematics and Forces
9 Newton's Laws
10 The Nature of Heat
11 The Transfer of Heat

The tests are in Word 97 format (about 3.9MB in all) ready for
downloading and subsequent printing (preferably double-sided) and
distribution to students. From this point onwards the tests can be
self-administered by the students. The tests are "take home" and can be
done at the student's convenience as he or she comes to the appropriate
section in class

The students work through the questions on the left hand (even-numbered)
pages, keeping the right hand (odd-numbered) pages covered and at
various stages check their responses against the answers on the right
hand pages which, in addition to giving the correct answer, has a
commentary on wrong answers, hopefully initiating remediation of an
unearthed misconception. In addition to the "questions and answers"
there are a few instructional sidelights and "interludes".

Alternatively students may choose to download from this Website, in
which case they might, in the interests of economy and the forests,
choose to print only the even-numbered (question) pages and do their
answer checking "on screen".

Teachers are, of course, able to edit the tests in any way they think
fit excising any material perceived as extraneous or "over-kill".

<>Bill Rachinger,
School of Physics,
Monash University, P.O.27, Vic 3800 Australia
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l