Prior Knowledge Test Research Articles

Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah Mahasiswa pada Kalkulus Integral Dilihat dari Keyakinan dan Pengetahuan Awal Matematis

Integral calculus is a course where students tend to have difficulties in problem-solving. This study examines differences in mathematical beliefs in students' problem-solving skills based on mathematics prior knowledge. This study's subjects were 120 students of the Mathematics Education study program from UPH Faculty of Education. The independent variable is mathematical beliefs, the moderator variable is prior mathematics knowledge, and the dependent variable is students' problem-solving skills. This study is an ex post facto quantitative research with instruments in a Likert scale questionnaire for mathematical beliefs, problem-solving, and mathematics prior knowledge test scores. Hypotheses were tested statistically with a two-way Anova test using SPSS 16.0. The results of the study were: (1) students' problem-solving of logical consistency beliefs is higher than memorized and procedural beliefs, (2) there is an interaction between mathematical beliefs and mathematics prior knowledge on problem-solving, (3) students' problem-solving in high mathematics prior knowledge group of logical consistency beliefs is higher than memorized, and procedural beliefs, and (4) students' problem-solving in low mathematics prior knowledge group of logical consistency beliefs is lower than memorized and procedural beliefs.

THE EFFECT OF EDUCATIONAL GAME, READING-WRITING-GAME, AND READING-WRITING-APPLICATION METHODS ON ELIMINATING LEARNING PROBLEMS

Bu araştırmanın amacı, öğrencilerin öğrenme problemleri yaşadıkları “Madde ve Değişim” ünitesinin öğretiminde uygulanan eğitsel oyun, okuma-yazma-oyun, okuma-yazma-uygulama ve programa dayalı öğretim yöntemlerinin öğrencilerin akademik başarı, motivasyon, kaygı ve bilgilerinin kalıcılığına etkisini incelemektir. Araştırmada deneysel desenlerden öntest-sontest kontrol gruplu yarı deneysel desen kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada Erzurum ili merkezinde bir devlet ortaokuluna devam eden 149 beşinci sınıf öğrencisi ile çalışılmıştır. Verilerin toplanmasında önbilgi testi, akademik başarı testi, motivasyon ölçeği, kaygı ölçeği ve kalıcılık testi kullanılmıştır. Verilerin parametrik testlerin uygulanmasına uygun olduğu tespit edildiğinden analizlerde tek yönlü ANOVA kullanılmıştır. Uygulama sonunda öğrencilerin akademik başarıları bakımından eğitsel oyun ve programa dayalı öğretim uygulanan öğrenciler arasında eğitsel oyun yöntemi uygulanan öğrenciler lehine anlamlı farklılığın olduğu belirlenmiştir. Öğrencilerin öğrenme motivasyonları açısından eğitsel oyun, okuma-yazma-oyun ve programa dayalı öğretim uygulanan öğrenciler arasında eğitsel oyun yöntemi uygulanan öğrenciler lehine anlamlı fark olduğu belirlenmiştir. Öğrencilerin öğrenme kaygıları açısından tüm yöntemler arasına eğitsel oyun yöntemi lehine ve okuma-yazma-uygulama ve programa dayalı öğretim uygulanan öğrenciler arasında okuma-yazma-uygulama yöntemi lehine anlamlı fark olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bilgilerin kalıcılığı açısından tüm yöntemler arasında eğitsel oyun yöntemi uygulanan öğrenciler lehine anlamlı fark olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak eğitsel oyun yönteminin öğrencilerin yaşadıkları öğrenme problemlerinin giderilmesinde daha etkili olduğu belirlenmiştir.

An Adaptive Bayesian Melding Method for Reliability Evaluation Via Limited Failure Data: An Application to the Servo Turret

In the early stage of product development, reliability evaluation is an indispensable step before launching a product onto the market. It is not realistic to evaluate the reliability of a new product by a host of reliability tests due to the limiting factors of time and test costs. Evaluating the reliability of products in a short time is a challenging problem. In this paper, an approach is proposed that combines a group of experts’ judgments and limited failure data. Novel features of this approach are that it can reflect various kinds of information without considering the individual weight and reduces aggregation error in the uncertainty quantification of multiple inconsistent pieces of information. First, an expert system is established by the Bayesian best–worst method and fuzzy logic inference, which collects and aggregates a group of expert opinions to estimate the reliability improvement factor. Then, an adaptive Bayesian melding method is investigated to generate a posterior by inaccurate prior knowledge and limited test data; this method is made more computationally efficient by implementing an improved sampling importance resampling algorithm. Finally, an application for the reliability evaluation of a subsystem of a CNC lathe is discussed to illustrate the framework, which is shown to validate the reasonability and robustness of our proposal.

Assessing first-year engineering students' pre-university mathematics knowledge: Preliminary validity results based on an item response theory model

The importance of students’ prior knowledge to their current learning outcomes cannot be overemphasised. Students with adequate prior knowledge are better prepared for the current learning materials than those without the knowledge. However, assessment of engineering students' prior mathematics knowledge has been beset with a lack of uniformity in measuring instruments and inadequate validity studies. This study attempts to provide evidence of validity and reliability of a Norwegian national test of prior mathematics knowledge using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach. This approach involves use of an item response theory model followed by cognitive interviews of some students among 201 first-year engineering students that constitute the sample of the study. The findings confirm an acceptable construct validity for the test with reliable items and a high-reliability coefficient of .92 on the whole test. Mixed results are found on discrimination and difficulty indices of questions on the test with some questions having unacceptable discriminations and require improvement, some are easy, and some appear too tricky questions for students. Results from the cognitive interviews reveal the likely reasons for students' difficulty on some questions to be lack of proper understanding of the questions, text misreading, improper grasping of word-problem tasks, and unavailability of calculators. The findings underscore the significance of validity and reliability checks of test instruments and their effect on scoring and computing aggregate scores. The methodological approaches to validity and reliability checks in the present study can be applied to other national contexts.

An Investigation of the Effect of Students' Academic Achievement and Science Process Skills Application Together With Cooperative Learning Model and the Modeling Based Teaching Method in Teaching Science Courses

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the applying the cooperative learning model and the modeling based teaching method together in teaching the subjects “Matter and Heat” and “The Particle Structure and Properties of Matter” on students’ academic achievement and science process skills. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest comparative group was used. In the sixth grade, the learning together (LT) method was applied with control group, the learning together and modeling-based teaching methods (LT-MBT) together was applied with the study group. In the seventh grade, the group investigation (GI) method was applied with the control group, and group investigation and modeling based teaching methods (GI-MBT) together was applied with study group. 72 sixth-grade students and 64 seventh-grade students of a public secondary school took part in the research. Data was collected for prior knowledge tests, module tests, academic achievement tests, science process skills, the cooperative learning view scale, and the method views form. According to the results obtained, students applying the GI-MBT method in seventh grade learned better and showed greater improvement in their science process skills than students in other group. Students applying LT-MBT methods in sixth grade were better than students applying the LT method in the module tests. According to the results obtained, it can be said that the modeling based teaching method made positive contributions to the cooperative learning model. It should be applied together with MBT with different methods of cooperative learning model in science education.

Modelling instruction effect with different reasoning ability on physics conceptual understanding by controlling the prior knowledge

Modelling instruction is systematic instructional activity for constructing and applying scientific knowledge in Physics lesson. The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of Modelling instruction with different reasoning abilities on understanding physical concepts by controlling students’ prior knowledge. This research used experimental method with 2x2 factorial design with two Modelling instruction classes and two conventional classes with a total of 176 students. The instrument used was reasoning ability test, prior knowledge test, and physics concept test. It used LCTSR (Lawson’s Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning) instrument. Prior knowledge test instruments consisted of 25 problems to identify how deep the students understand the topic before they undergo the learning process and physics concept test consisted of 25 problems. Based on the statistical test using two factor Ancova, it proved that there was a significant difference in students’ ability to master the physics concept between using Modelling instruction learning model and using conventional learning model. The result showed that the Modelling instruction increasing conceptual understanding better than conventional learning. There are two important parts in the Modelling instruction that are model development and model deployment. This study also confirms that there are significant differences in understanding the concepts between students of high reasoning ability and low reasoning ability. Students with high reasoning abilities have a better understanding of concepts than students with low reasoning abilities.

Epistemic Beliefs Moderate Mediations Among Attitudes, Prior Misconceptions, and Conceptual Change

We investigated the mediating and moderating roles of attitudes and epistemic beliefs in conceptual change during learning about genetically modified foods (GMFs). One hundred twenty undergraduate students participated. To measure misconceptions about GMFs, students first completed a prior knowledge test. Students then completed self-report inventories to measure their attitudes and topic-specific epistemic beliefs regarding GMFs. Students were then randomly assigned to read a refutation or expository text about GMFs. Following reading, students completed a test to assess conceptual change. Results of a repeated measures ANOVA revealed participants who read a refutation text changed more misconceptions at post-test than participants who read an expository text. A moderation mediation analysis revealed attitudes toward GMFs significantly mediated the relationship between prior misconceptions and conceptual change, and that this relationship was moderated by learners’ beliefs regarding the source and justification of GMFs knowledge. Theoretical and educational implications are discussed.

Subjective data, objective data and the role of bias in predictive modelling: Lessons from a dispositional learning analytics application.

For decades, self-report measures based on questionnaires have been widely used in educational research to study implicit and complex constructs such as motivation, emotion, cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies. However, the existence of potential biases in such self-report instruments might cast doubts on the validity of the measured constructs. The emergence of trace data from digital learning environments has sparked a controversial debate on how we measure learning. On the one hand, trace data might be perceived as "objective" measures that are independent of any biases. On the other hand, there is mixed evidence of how trace data are compatible with existing learning constructs, which have traditionally been measured with self-reports. This study investigates the strengths and weaknesses of different types of data when designing predictive models of academic performance based on computer-generated trace data and survey data. We investigate two types of bias in self-report surveys: response styles (i.e., a tendency to use the rating scale in a certain systematic way that is unrelated to the content of the items) and overconfidence (i.e., the differences in predicted performance based on surveys' responses and a prior knowledge test). We found that the response style bias accounts for a modest to a substantial amount of variation in the outcomes of the several self-report instruments, as well as in the course performance data. It is only the trace data, notably that of process type, that stand out in being independent of these response style patterns. The effect of overconfidence bias is limited. Given that empirical models in education typically aim to explain the outcomes of learning processes or the relationships between antecedents of these learning outcomes, our analyses suggest that the bias present in surveys adds predictive power in the explanation of performance data and other questionnaire data.

Can emotional design really evoke emotion in multimedia learning?

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of emotional design on learners’ performance and emotions. If emotional design has any effects on learners’ performance and emotions, then we attempted to explore dimensions that are accounted for such effects. 316 Chinese university students participated in this study. The students were divided into two groups: NED group - students in this group learned material based on neutral design, and PED group - students in this group learned material based on positive design. We explored the differences between two groups in student learning performance as well as emotion. Prior knowledge, retention, and transfer tests were also carried out and outcomes were compared across two groups. In addition, student emotion was measured using a positive affect scale and biofeedback instruments. The results showed that PED group outperformed NED group on retention and transfer tests. However, insignificant difference was found between two groups on student emotion. Our results suggest that, although the effect of emotional design was insignificant on student emotion, it was significant on student learning performance (i.e. on retention and transfer tests). Based on our results, several implications were drawn and suggestions were made for educators and researchers.

Integration conceptual scaffolding in the group investigation: its influence on students’ critical thinking skills

The enhancement of critical thinking skills (CTS) is one of the learning targets of universities. Although research on enhancing CTS has been achieved, the improvement of CTS through physics instruction is still becoming a problem. This study attempts to find out the integration of conceptual scaffolding to group investigation (GI) and its influence on students’ CTS. This mixed-method research used an explanatory design by involving 59 students in the Fundamental Physics III course in the Department of Physics, State University of Malang. The experimental group received treatment of conceptual scaffolding in GI, whereas the control group received conventional instruction. The instrument used was the prior knowledge test consisting of 17 multiple-choice items (Cronbach Alpha = 0.72) and the tests of CTS consisting of 11 essay items (Cronbach Alpha = 0.67), interview guidelines, and think-aloud protocol. The results of the study show that there are no differences in CTS between the experimental group and the control group. However, for the low prior-knowledge students, CTS of students who use conceptual scaffolding in GI higher than that of students who study with conventional instruction. Low prior-knowledge students who use scaffolding in the GI can use high-level strategies and exhibit more focused actions in solving problems.

Effects of providing partial hypotheses as a support for simulation‐based inquiry learning

AbstractHypothesis generation is an important but difficult process for students. This study investigated the effects of providing students with support for hypothesis generation, with regard to the testability and complexity of the generated hypotheses, the quality of the subsequent inquiry learning processes and knowledge acquisition. Fifty‐two secondary school students completed three prior knowledge tests and worked on an inquiry task in the domain of force and motion, concerning the topic of Newton's first law of motion. They received either a set of terms (variables, conditions and relations) to help them generate hypotheses (T condition, n = 23) or the same set of terms plus a partial hypothesis to start from (T + PHy condition, n = 29). Results showed that students in the T + PHy condition generated more complex hypotheses, performed better at data collection and acquired more domain knowledge than students in the T condition. No effects of prior knowledge were found.

Methodological strategy for the teaching of the pythagorean theorem in the eighth grade of the institution monseñor Jaime Prieto Amaya

This experimental quantitative research with a descriptive approach, which was developed in a period of time of one year with the participation of the teacher of the mathematics area and a total of 100 students who were in grade 8, arose due to the difficulties that the students presented. students in the application of the Pythagorean theorem in everyday life.
 Due to this, the need arose to propose methodological strategies for the contextualization of the teaching of the Pythagorean Theorem and in this way, achieve a better understanding regarding this concept; For this reason, it was investigated with the students from a pre - test of prior knowledge which allowed to show the rhythms and styles of learning.
 After this search for information, it was possible to corroborate that the students felt more comfortable when classes were held outside the classroom; In this way, the activities were more experiential and significant, which made it possible to relate the Pythagorean theorem in a transversal way with areas such as physical education, in terms of the identification of the right triangle in different spaces of the court, measurements and distances; on the other hand, in relation to the artistic area in the formation of triangles the rectangles from origami and the way to find their measurements for the creation of these figures.
 The construction of this knowledge could be verified through the application of a post test which resulted in an improvement in the understanding of the practical use of the Pythagorean theorem in different contexts.

A Bayesian Updating Method for Non-Probabilistic Reliability Assessment of Structures with Performance Test Data

For structures that only the predicted bounds of uncertainties are available, this study proposes a Bayesian method to logically evaluate the nonprobabilistic reliability of structures based on multi-ellipsoid convex model and performance test data. According to the given interval ranges of uncertainties, we determine the initial characteristic parameters of a multi-ellipsoid convex set. Moreover, to update the plausibility of characteristic parameters, a Bayesian network for the information fusion of prior uncertainty knowledge and subsequent performance test data is constructed. Then, an updated multi-ellipsoid set with the maximum likelihood of the performance test data can be achieved. The credible non-probabilistic reliability index is calculated based on the Kriging-based surrogate model of the performance function. Several numerical examples are presented to validate the proposed Bayesian updating method.

MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN BERPIKIR REFLEKTIF MATEMATIS DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN METODE IMPROVE

This study aims to examine the improvement of Mathematical Reflective Thinking skills using the IMPROVE Method. The things that underlie the research are the low level of Mathematical Reflective Thinking skills of junior high school students, mathematics learning that has been implemented has not been able to improve mathematics learning and the need for learning processes that can develop students' Mathematical Reflective Thinking skills according to student characteristics. This study used a quasi-experimental method with pretest-posttest class group design. The study population was all eighth grade students of one of the junior high schools in Serang City. Sampling used a purposive random sampling technique so that 38 students as a group who received the IMPROVE learning method and 38 students obtained regular learning. The research instrument consisted of tests of mathematical reflective thinking skills and students' initial mathematical prior knowledge tests. Analysis of the data used was the difference test of the average t test, t test, and Mann Whitney U. The results showed that (1) there was an increase in Mathematical Reflective Thinking skills both overall and based on students' initial mathematical prior knowlegde using the IMPROVE Method; (2) There is no interaction between the learning models and the mathematical prior knowledge (high, medium, and low) towards improving students' mathematical reflective thinking skills.

EFEKTIVITAS COGNITIVE READING STRATEGIES PADA PENINGKATAN PRESTASI AKADEMIK MAHASISWA

This study aims to test the effect of cognitive reading strategies to enhance undergraduate students academic achievement. This study used quasi-experimental alternative-treatment design with pretest. There are 63 undergraduate students in psychology class as a subject. The research data obtained from reading comprehension achievement tests and prior knowledge test as co-variable. The reading comprehension achievement tests and prior knowledge test score compare before and after learning process and tested using Ancoca. The results showed that the cognitive reading strategies was significantly improve undergraduate students academic achievement of the experimental group than the control group. For the cognitive reading strategies feasible for implementation.

Kemampuan Koneksi Matematis Siswa Ditinjau dari Kemampuan Awal dan Gender

This research aimed to examine student’s mathematical connection ability based on previous ability and gender. The instruments of the study were the researcher as the main instrument, the test of prior knowledge, the test of connection ability, interview and documentation. The triangulation technique was used for the data (test, observation, interview, and documentation). The subject of this research were six students representing each category of the previous ability. Three indicators of mathematical connection ability used in this research, namely: connections between mathematical topics, connections with the science other than mathematics, and connection with life. The results showed that 1) high-ability male subject had high levels of mathematical connection ability on indicators of connection with life, 2) high-ability female subject had high level of mathematical connection ability on indicators of connection with the science other than mathematics, 3) medium-ability male subject had high levels of mathematical connection ability on indicators between topics mathematics, 4) medium-ability female subject had high levels of mathematical connection ability on indicators between topics mathematics, 5) low-ability male subject had high levels of mathematical connection ability on indicators between topics mathematics, 6) low-ability female subject had high levels of mathematical connection ability on indicators between topics mathematics.

Effects of critical thinking on multiple-document comprehension

The purpose of this study was to test the relationships between critical thinking, prior topic knowledge and beliefs, and multiple-document comprehension through a path analysis approach. The participants were 281 Italian undergraduate students. Participants first completed a rational-experiential inventory, a critical thinking skills test, a prior topic knowledge test, and a prior topic beliefs test. Then, they were asked to read six documents on the topic of flu vaccination. After reading the texts, students were asked to write an argumentative essay on the topic as a measure of multiple-document comprehension. The hypothesized model fit the data well. Results confirmed that argumentation quality after reading six documents with different perspectives on the topic is associated with different critical thinking skills in stronger- versus weaker-belief readers. In weaker-belief readers, multiple-document comprehension was associated with deduction skills, whereas in stronger-belief readers, multiple-document comprehension was associated with hypothesis-testing skills. Both theoretical and educational implications of the results are discussed.

Engaging university students in a library guide through wearable spherical video-based virtual reality: effects on situational interest and cognitive load

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate differences in students’ situational interest (exploration intention, instant enjoyment, novelty, attention demand, challenge, and total interest) and cognitive load (intrinsic, extraneous, and germane) of VR-guide and map-guide groups in a university library. The VR-guide group used wearable spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR) devices, while the map-guide group used tablets to learn the functions of the library. Both groups completed a prior knowledge test, field tasks, a situational interest scale, and a cognitive load scale. The results show that, in comparison with the use of the map-guide, the wearable VR-guide could yield a higher degree of “Novelty” and “Challenge” (in the situational interest dimension), as well as higher germane cognitive load. This study reveals that harnessing SVVR in learning and teaching has a positive impact on university students. The educational use of SVVR has good potential for transforming students’ way of learning, improving traditional learning, and enhancing students’ understanding of content and learning motivation.

Analisis Kesulitan Mahasiswa dalam Menyelesaikan Soal Berpikir Kreatif Matematis pada Mata Kuliah Statistika Matematika

The purpose of this research is to analyze the difficulty of students in solving problems related to mathematical creative thinking ability comprehensively as a result of the implementation of PACE (Project, Activity, Cooperative learning, Exercise) model and conventional learning in Mathematical Statistics Course. This research was a qualitative research. The subjects in this research were students of Mathematics Education Program who took Mathematical Statistics Course at one of the private universities in East Jakarta. This research used purposive sampling and various instruments. They were test of mathematical prior knowledge (MPK), test of mathematical creative thinking ability (MCTA), observation sheet, interview sheet, and researcher. The data of this research was collected using triangulation techniques. The result of this research show that students are still experiencing difficulties based on MPK level and overall in solving problems related to mathematical creative thinking ability in both learning (PACE model and conventional). However, the difficulty of students who have obtained PACE Model learning is lower than students who have obtained conventional learning. The most of difficulty of students in both learning (PACE model and conventional) is in indicator of ‘originality’. Keywords: mathematical creative thinking ability, Mathematical Statistics, PACE model

The Use of Probing Prompting Learning (PPL) and Inside Outside Circle (IOC) Model to Learning Outcome of Plane Figure Material

This study aims to discover: (1) the difference of the learning outcomes of plane (geometry) material between the use of Probing Prompting Learning (PPL) model and Inside Outside Circle (IOC) model; (2) the difference of the learning outcomes of plane figure material between students with high prior knowledge and students with low prior knowledge; (3) the influence of the interaction between the models and students’ prior knowledge towards the learning outcomes of plane figure material. This study uses true experimental design as the research design. The population of the study consists of students from two elementary school in Surabaya in total of 134 students. The instruments used in this study are the prior knowledge test and the learning result test. The data analysis method used to test and to verify the hypotheses was two-way ANOVA test. The result of the study indicates that: (1) there is a difference in the learning outcomes of plane figure material between the PPL model and the IOC model; (2) there is a difference in the learning outcomes of plane figure material for students with high prior knowledge and low prior knowledge; (3) there is a correlation between the model and prior knowledge towards the learning outcomes of plane figure material.