Developing and Implementing an Assessment Technique To Measure Linked Concepts

Abstract

The links students make among chemistry content is considered essential for a robust, enduring understanding in multiple learning theories. This article describes the development and implementation of an assessment technique, termed a Measure of Linked Concepts, designed to inform instructors on students' understanding of linking content throughout General Chemistry. Student performance on the assessment technique has provided unique insights relevant for instruction. For example, a substantial proportion of students could not identify when a model was used beyond its intended limit or show proficiency in tasks that the course assumed was prior knowledge. The use of these assessments also provides a means for instruction to show the relevance for topics such as periodic trends or ionic/molecular classification in a variety of subsequent topics throughout the course.

Impact of Representations in Assessments on Student Performance and Equity

“…The results of this study suggest that at-risk student performance can be enhanced by as much as 19.2% when supplementing stoichiometric assessment tasks with tables including a column for “moles” (as observed in the molarity and gas laws items in Figures and but not for the percent yield item in Figure ). While the relationship between students’ proficiency with mathematics and academic performance in chemistry is well-established, ,− ,− how at-risk chemistry students struggle with the material and what can be done to support their success is not yet understood. Donovan and Wheland, while investigating the impact of institutional implementations for mathematics prerequisites on the percentage of at-risk chemistry students passing first-semester general chemistry, questioned whether the performance of at-risk students is dependent on actual mathematics knowledge …”

Assessing student process skills and providing feedback to enhance learning in analytical chemistry

“…The first step in creating a constructive learning environment is to define the learning objectives. 64 stated that students direct their efforts towards how they are assessed. Crooks 65 provided the recommendation that the quickest way to influence what students learn is to change the assessment system.…”

“…Assessments can provide feedback for both the instructor and the student at how well the learning objectives are being met. 64 Assessment can then serve as the primary vehicle by which instructors learn about their students' conceptions.…”

“…Multiple-choice exams are often studied because it limits the number of options that students are able to choose and that they are logistically easier to grade than open-ended assessments. There are limitations to open-ended assessments, as stated by Ye et al 64 , in that the assessments cannot target a particular concept and that they cannot provide information on the prevalence of concepts held by the students.…”

“…Another critique of open-ended questions is that they are logistically more difficult to grade than multiple choice exams. 64 One advantage of open-ended exam responses are students are less likely to guess the correct answer with open-ended response questions. 152 A few studies have the characterized questions that go beyond content knowledge.…”