Developing of an instrument for assessing students’ data analysis skills in the undergraduate physics laboratory

Abstract

This paper describes the development and field test of the Laboratory Data Analysis Instrument (LDAI), aimed at diagnosing first-year students’ understanding of data analysis procedures. The design of this student-centered instrument is based on difficulties related to students’ data analysis skills required in an introductory physics laboratory. Difficulties were determined from previous literature, observations in laboratory classes, and interviews with students. The LDAI is single-context based, consisting of 30 multiple-choice and true/false questions embedded in a real laboratory report from a real laboratory. It was validated by seven experts: three physics professors, one science education lecturer, and three experienced laboratory instructors. Administration to 77 participants resulted in a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.702. The LDAI is a promising step toward having a valid and reliable diagnostic instrument that can be used by laboratory instructors in undergraduate physics laboratories.

Development of a diagnostic tool aimed at pinpointing undergraduate students’ knowledge about sound and its implementation in simple acoustic apparatuses’ analysis

“…The widespread use of diagnostic instruments has introduced a new way of evaluating and dealing with students' conceptual understandings [7][8][9]. Eshach [5] developed the SCII for middle school pupils and called to develop instruments dealing with acoustics for levels of higher students.…”

“…Since SABDI fulfills the above two conditions, it may be considered a single-context instrument. Like Eshach and Kukliansky [9], we also believe that such a single-context approach has the potential of engaging students' emotions and thus increase their motivation to deal with the instrument's items.…”

“…As a result, the items as a whole are in some way connected. Eshach and Kukliansky [9] define a singlecontext instrument as an "…instrument that fulfills the following two conditions: (a) each individual item presents a situation belonging to a specific context; and (b) the items as a whole create or form a typical case belonging to a specific context" (p. 3). Since SABDI fulfills the above two conditions, it may be considered a single-context instrument.…”

“…One way to identify students' knowledge about scientific concepts is the use of diagnostic tools (questionnaires). Indeed, the widespread use of appropriate diagnostic tools has introduced a new way of evaluating and dealing with students' conceptual understanding [7][8][9]. These authors suggest that more tools need to be developed to allow instructors to better evaluate their students' understanding of physics concepts.…”

Learning Experience on Transformer Using HOT Lab for Pre-service Physics Teacher’s

“…The contribution of lab practice in instructional science should be able to foster abilities to develop conceptual thinking, generating imagination, stimulating desires and sharpening methodological acumen as a part of an experimental experience. Lab practice is important in learning science in schools, and it determines students' traits toward science in schools and science outside the group room [24].…”