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

This 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

[1]  Ideas about ionisation energy : a diagnostic instrument , 1999 .

[2]  James P. Birk,et al.  Effect of Experience on Retention and Elimination of Misconceptions about Molecular Structure and Bonding , 1999 .

[3]  David F. Treagust,et al.  Diagnosing secondary students' misconceptions of photosynthesis and respiration in plants using a two-tier multiple choice instrument , 1987 .

[4]  Onno De Jong,et al.  Problems in Teaching the Topic of Redox Reactions: Actions and Conceptions of Chemistry Teachers , 1995 .

[5]  Kirk W. Voska,et al.  Identification and Analysis of Student Conceptions Used to Solve Chemical Equilibrium Problems , 2000 .

[6]  D. Treagust.  Development and use of diagnostic tests to evaluate students’ misconceptions in science , 1988 .

[7]  Pamela J. Garnett,et al.  Students' Alternative Conceptions in Chemistry: A Review of Research and Implications for Teaching and Learning , 1995 .

[8]  Hugh Munby,et al.  Concept mapping and misconceptions: a study of high-school students' understandings of acids and bases , 1991 .

[9]  Jan H. van Driel,et al.  Introducing Dynamic Equilibrium as an Explanatory Model , 1999 .

[10]  P. Pintrich,et al.  Beyond Cold Conceptual Change: The Role of Motivational Beliefs and Classroom Contextual Factors in the Process of Conceptual Change , 1993 .

[11]  R. Driver,et al.  A Constructivist Approach to Curriculum Development in Science , 1986 .

[12]  Bill Butts,et al.  HSC chemistry students' understanding of the structure and properties of molecular and ionic compounds , 1987 .

[13]  Joseph Nussbaum,et al.  Junior high school pupils' understanding of the particulate nature of matter: An interview study , 1978 .

[14]  Hong Kwen Boo,et al.  Students' Understandings of Chemical Bonds and the Energetics of Chemical Reactions. , 1998 .

[15]  David F. Treagust,et al.  Implications of research on students’ understanding of electrochemistry for improving science curricula and classroom practice , 1990 .

[16]  D. Treagust,et al.  Evaluating students' understanding of chemical bonding , 1999 .

[17]  David F. Treagust,et al.  Modelling in Science Lessons: Are There Better Ways to Learn With Models? , 1998 .

[18]  David Palmer,et al.  Exploring the link between students' scientific and nonscientific conceptions , 1999 .

[19]  David F. Treagust,et al.  Development and Application of a Diagnostic Instrument to Evaluate Grade-11 and -12 Students' Concepts of Covalent Bonding and Structure Following a Course of Instruction. , 1989 .

[20]  David F. Treagust,et al.  Grade-12 students' misconceptions of covalent bonding and structure , 1989 .

[21]  S. Volet.  Modelling and Coaching of Relevant Metacognitive Strategies for Enhancing University Students' Learning. , 1991 .

[22]  David F. Treagust,et al.  Conceptual difficulties experienced by senior high school students of electrochemistry: Electric circuits and oxidation‐reduction equations , 1992 .

[23]  N. Goh,et al.  Some Misconceptions in Chemistry: A Cross-Cultural Comparison, and Implications for Teaching. , 1993 .

[24]  A. Odom,et al.  Development and application of a two‐tier diagnostic test measuring college biology students' understanding of diffusion and osmosis after a course of instruction , 1995 .

[25]  Loretta L. Jones,et al.  Effect of a labratory manual design incorporating visual information‐processing aids on student learning and attitudes , 1997 .

[26]  David F. Treagust,et al.  The Complexity of Teaching and Learning Chemical Equilibrium , 1999 .

[27]  Duarte Costa Pereira,et al.  Reaction and spontaneity: the influence of meaning from everyday language on fourth year undergraduates’ interpretations of some simple chemical phenomena , 1990 .