The test of basic Mechanics Conceptual Understanding (bMCU): using Rasch analysis to develop and evaluate an...

Area of Science:

• Physics Education Research
• Educational Measurement

Background:

• Assessing conceptual understanding of Newton's mechanics is crucial for physics education.
• Existing tests lack efficiency and fairness for secondary students or pre-post assessment.
• A need exists for a validated instrument tailored to secondary school curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate the basic Mechanics Conceptual Understanding (bMCU) test.
• To create an efficient, fair, and rigorous assessment for secondary students.
• To establish the bMCU test's validity as a pre- and posttest measure of conceptual change.

Main Methods:

• Development and evaluation of the bMCU test using qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Application of Rasch analyses for psychometric validation with Swiss secondary school students.
• Investigation of criterion validity in secondary school and mechanical engineering student samples.

Main Results:

• The bMCU test demonstrated conformity to the Rasch model.
• The test proved applicable as a measure of conceptual change.
• The bMCU test effectively predicted student performance in both student groups.

Conclusions:

• The bMCU test provides a fair, efficient, and rigorous measure of secondary students' understanding of Newton's mechanics.
• This instrument is valuable for both physics classrooms and educational research.
• The bMCU test can be effectively used to assess learning and conceptual development.