The Five-Tier Multiple Choice Instruments in Parabolic Motion for Assessing Concept Understanding of High School Students

Abstract

One purpose of physics learning in the 2013 Curriculum was achieved an understanding of the concepts in each physics material. In facts, the teacher had not assessed the students’ concepts understanding, there were no instruments for assessing concept understanding at school and there were misconceptions about the parabolic motion. The solution that can be used to answer this problem was made a five-tier multiple-choice instrument on parabolic motion which was valid and practical to used for assessing concepts uderstanding. This research was development research using the Plomp model which was conducted until the prototype phase. The research began with preliminary research stage. At this stage, giving questionnaires to teachers and a journal analysis was conducted regarding understanding concepts of student on parabolic motion. Then, the research continued with the prototype phase stage was developed five-tier a multiple-choice instrument and determine the validity and practicality of developed product. Based on preliminary research result, it was found that the teacher had not assessed the students’ concepts understanding, there were no instruments for assessing concept understanding at school and there were misconceptions on the parabolic motion. In the development or prototyping phase, produced a five-tier multiple-choice instrument for parabolic motion and conclusions was obtained that the five-tier multiple-choice instrument on parabolic motion was valid and practise to use for assessing the understanding of the concepts of high school students. Therefore, the five-tier multiple choice instrument in parabolic motion can be used in schools for improving students’ concept understanding, especially in parabolic motion.