Two-tier Multiple Choice Research Articles

Using Two-Tier Test to Identify Primary Students’ Conceptual Understanding and Alternative Conceptions in Acid Base

Accepted: 07.05.2013 The purpose of this study was to identify primary students’ conceptual understanding and alternative conceptions in acid-base. For this reason, a 15 items two-tier multiple choice test administered 56 eighth grade students in spring semester 2009-2010. Data for this study were collected using a conceptual understanding scale prepared to include the concepts used in the subject of “Acids and Bases”, which is a part of the unit “Structure and Properties of Matter” taught in the eighth grade Science and Technology course. The conceptual understanding scale was developed by the researchers to identify the alternative conceptions students might have concerning this subject. The scale consists of diagnostic tests (n=15) designed to measure levels of understanding among students concerning the subject of acids and bases, and to identify their ways of thinking and rationales. Data were first analyzed by tabulating students’ answers to the first tier of each question, and the percentages of the reasons they selected for their answers. Analysis of results showed that students find difficulty about conceptual understanding and they have some alternative conceptions related to in acid-base.

Effects of Two-Tier Multiple Choice Diagnostic Assessment Items on Students’ Learning Outcome in Basic Science Technology (BST)

This paper addresses the effect of The TTMC diagnostic assessment Model in basic science technology and to see if it can make an important contribution to the student learning outcome in basic science and technology among Nigerian students at the junior secondary school (JSS) level. The paper addresses the importance of the diagnostic assessment in basic science and technology and a review of development in particular the TTMC diagnostic instrument and sees if it can make any contribution to students’ learning outcome among Nigerian students at the Junior Secondary School (JSS) level. The study is a quasi-experimenter research designed to determine the effect of TTMC diagnostic instruction on students’ performance in BST. It is quasi experiment study in which the effect of the treatment on interest, attitude and achievement was measure as students’ learning outcome. The sample of the study consisted of 108 JSS basic science students selected randomly from 3 junior secondary schools in Ondo state Nigeria. Among these students were 54 male and 54 females selected through stratified random sampling technique. The instrument for dada collection in the study were BST Two-tiers multiple choice TTMC achievement test of 20 items adopted from Tan and Trannguest 1990; Tin 2004 Wang 2004; and from Chin and Ho 2002; The test was administered to the subject as pre- test; before the treatment and as post-test immediately after the treatment and the retention test after 4 weeks of the post-test except for the control group which was not expose to any treatment. The scores were analysed using mean; standard deviation; analysis of variance ANOVA; ANCOVA and the multiple classification analysis. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n2p201

Ionization Energy: Implications of Preservice Teachers’ Conceptions

The results from a study to explore pre-service teachers' understanding of ionization energy, a topic that features in A-level (grade 11 and 12) chemistry courses. in Singapore , is described. A previous study using a two-tier multiple choice diagnostic test has shown that Singapore A-level students have considerable difficulty understanding the topic of ionization energy. The same diagnostic test was administered to a total of 237 pre-service chemistry teachers from 2003 to 2006, and it was found that the pre-service teachers had similar difficulties and alternative conceptions as the A-level students. Teachers need to be aware of their students' as well as their own alternative conceptions so that they can address their subject matter knowledge and be better able to support their students' learning of difficult topics in chemistry.

Determination of students' alternative conceptions about chemical equilibrium: a review of research and the case of Turkey

This study aims to determine prospective science student teachers’ alternative conceptions of the chemical equilibrium concept. A 13-item pencil and paper, two-tier multiple choice diagnostic instrument, the Test to Identify Students’ Alternative Conceptions (TISAC), was developed and administered to 90 second-semester science student teachers enrolled in CHEM 102 Chemistry II course in spring 2006, after they received fourteen 50-minute regular course instruction concerning the equilibrium. The content validity of the test was established by the panel consisting of lecturers. The Spearman-Brown reliability for the test was 0.71. Analysis of the results collected with the TISAC show that students did not acquire a satisfactory understanding of the chemical equilibrium concept. For the first tier of the test items, the range of correct answer was 48.8% to 78.8%. When both tiers were combined, the correct response was reduced to a range of 22.2% to 48.8%. In this study, seventeen alternative conceptions were also identified through analysis of the TISAC. These conceptions were grouped under the headings of the application of Le Chatelier’s principle, reliability of the equilibrium constant, heterogeneous equilibrium, and the effect of a catalyst.

Engagement, exploration, explanation, extension, and evaluation (5E) learning cycle and conceptual change text as learning tools

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Extension, and Evaluation (5E) learning cycle, conceptual change texts, and traditional instructions on 8th grade students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in plants. Students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in plants was measured using the test developed by Haslam and Treagust (F. Haslam, D. F. Treagust (1987) Diagnosing secondary students' misconceptions of photosynthesis and respiration in plants using a two-tier multiple choice instrument, J. Biol. Educ. 21, 203-211). The test was administered as pre-test and post-test to a total of 101 8th-grade students in three intact classes of the same school located in an urban area. The classes were randomly assigned as control and experimental groups. Students in the first experimental group (n = 33) received 5E learning cycle instruction, students in the second experimental group (n = 34) received conceptual change text instruction, and students in the control group (n = 34) received traditional instruction. Attitudes toward science and pre-test scores were used as covariates. A quasi-experimental design utilizing the analysis of covariance showed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the favor of experimental groups after treatment. However, no statistically significant difference between two experimental groups (5E versus conceptual change text instruction) was found.

Alternative Conceptions in Animal Classification Focusing on Amphibians and Reptiles: A Cross-Age Study

This study examined students’ alternative conceptions of reptiles and amphibians and the extent to which these conceptions remain intact through the elementary (grades 4 and 6), junior, and senior high school years. We administered multiple-choice and free-response instruments to a total of 513 students and interviewed at least 20 students at each educational level to get an in-depth view of their original conceptions. Then, we developed and administered a two-tier multiple choice diagnostic instrumentto assess various levels of students’ understanding of amphibians and reptiles(N=1267). The results showed that most students were able to classify snakes as reptiles, whereas fewer than 30% of the students across different ages classified sea turtles as reptiles; the remaining 70% classified sea turtles as amphibians. More students were able to correctly classify frogs as amphibians than toads. In most instances, students correctly classified “prototypical” representatives of the two animal classes more readily than less exemplary representatives, a finding that supports previous research (Trowbridge, J.E. andMintzes, J.J. (1988). Alternative conceptions in animal classification: A cross-age study. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 25(7), 547–571). Interestingly, the alternative views of sea turtles as amphibians remained intact throughout the school years. Interview data indicated that students classified sea turtles as amphibians largely because sea turtles are able to live in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Semantically, “amphi” means living on land and in water. When asked to distinguish between reptiles and amphibians and to classify several species into those two groups, a wide range of alternative conceptions emerged and the origin of those alternative conceptions are discussed. Similar results were obtained when we applied a two-tier multiple-choice diagnostic instrument to assess students’ understanding of amphibians and reptiles.

Development and application of a two‐tier multiple choice diagnostic instrument to assess high school students' understanding of inorganic chemistry qualitative analysis*

AbstractThis article describes the development and application of a two‐tier multiple choice diagnostic instrument to assess high school students' understanding of inorganic chemistry qualitative analysis. The development of the diagnostic instrument was guided by the framework outlined by Treagust. The instrument was administered to 915 Grade 10 students (15 to 17 years old) from 11 schools after they had learned the theory involved in qualitative analysis and after a series of qualitative analysis practical sessions. The Cronbach alpha reliability of the instrument was .68, the facility indices ranged from .17 to .48, and the discrimination indices ranged from .20 to .53. The study showed that the Grade 10 students had difficulty understanding the reactions involved in the identification of cations and anions, for example, double decomposition reactions, the formation and reaction of complex salts, and thermal decomposition. The findings of the study and literature on practical work were used to develop a qualitative analysis teaching package. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals Inc. J Res Sci Teach 39: 283–301, 2002

Diagnosing secondary students' misconceptions of photosynthesis and respiration in plants using a two-tier multiple choice instrument

A two-tier multiple-choice instrument is described which reliably and validly diagnoses secondary students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in plants. The first tier of each item relates to content based on propositional knowledge statements. The second tier consists of reasons based on students' responses to interviews, open-ended questions, and/or previous research. These reasons include identified misconceptions and a scientifically acceptable answer. The results of the study highlight the consistency of students' misconceptions across secondary year levels and indicate that a high percentage of secondary students do not comprehend the nature and function of respiration and have little understanding of the relationship between photosynthesis and respiration in plants. Recommendations are made for use of the instrument by classroom biology teachers.