Development of a diagnostic instrument

Development of a two-tier multiple choice diagnostic instrument to determine A-level students' understanding of ionisation energy

One of my publications is:

Tan, D., Goh N. K. & Chia L. S. & Taber, K. S. (2005) Development of a Two-Tier Multiple Choice Diagnostic Instrument to Determine A-Level Students' Understanding of Ionisation Energy, Singapore: National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University.

ISBN: 981-05-2995-3

This report details the stages in developing and testing a diagnostic instrument (the Ionisation Energy Diagnostic Instrument, IEDI) to use in classroom teaching.

Abstract:

Previous research has shown that A-level students in the United Kingdom had difficulty understanding the concepts involved in ionisation energy. This report describes the development and administration of a two-tier multiple choice diagnostic instrument on ionisation energy to determine if A-level students (16 to 19 years old) in Singapore had similar alternative conceptions as their counterparts in the United Kingdom, as well as explore their understanding of the trend of ionisation energy across Period 3. The results showed that students in Singapore applied the same octet rule framework and conservation of force thinking to explain the factors influencing ionisation energy as the students in the United Kingdom. In addition to the above alternative frameworks, many students in Singapore also resorted to relation-based reasoning to explain the trend of ionisation energy across Period 3 elements. The authors believed that the way ionisation energy was taught by teachers and presented in textbooks could be the cause of students' difficulties in understanding ionisation energy. Teachers and textbooks need to focus explicitly on the effects of nuclear charge, the distance of the electron from the nucleus, the repulsion/screening effect of the other electrons present, and the interplay between these factors to explain the factors influencing ionisation energy and the trend in ionisation energy across period 3.

A concept map used to map out relevant concepts in the target knowledge about ionisation energy

The score profile of 939 students in Grades 11 and 12 in schools in Singapore – the mean score was a little under 3/10! (This suggests most respondents held, or at least found highly feasible, alternative conceptions that had been identified in earlier research.)

An example of one of the final items:

PromptResponse options
First tierThe Na(g) atom is a more stable system than the Na+(g) ion and a free electron.A. True.
B. False.
C. I do not know the answer.
Second tierReason:1. The Na(g) atom is neutral and energy is required to ionise the Na(g) atom to form the Na+(g) ion.
2. Average force of attraction by the nucleus on each electron of Na+(g) ion is greater than that of Na(g) atom.
3. The Na+(g) ion has a vacant shell which can be filled by electrons from other atoms to form a compound.
4. The outermost shell of Na+(g) ion has achieved a stable octet/noble gas configuration.
Response options for one of the IEDI items. In this case, 64% of 979 students responding selected the response combination (B, 4) reflecting one of the alternative conceptions identified in previous research

Contents:

  • CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
  • THE STUDY
  • CONTEXT OF THE STUDY
  • PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
  • SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
  • RESEARCH QUESTIONS
  • LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
  • METHODOLOGY
  • SUMMARY
  • CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
  • INTRODUCTION
  • NATURE OF ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS
  • ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS OF IONISATION ENERGY
  • METHODOLOGIES FOR INVESTIGATING STUDENT CONCEPTIONS
  • SUMMARY
  • CHAPTER THREE: IDENTIFICATION OF CONCEPTS AND PROPOSITIONAL
  • KNOWLEDGE STATEMENTS
  • INTRODUCTION
  • IDENTIFICATION OF SUBJECT CONTENT
  • SUMMARY
  • CHAPTER FOUR: PHASE ONE: DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF A FREE RESPONSE INSTRUMENT ON IONISATION ENERGY
  • INTRODUCTION
  • RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
  • SUMMARY
  • CHAPTER FIVE: PHASE TWO: DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF A TWO-TIER MULTIPLE CHOICE DIAGNOSTIC INSTRUMENT ON IONISATION ENERGY
  • INTRODUCTION
  • DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE IEDI
  • RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
  • SUMMARY
  • CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND LIMITATIONS
  • INTRODUCTION
  • SUMMARY OF THE STUDY AND CONCLUSIONS
  • RECOMMENDATIONS
    • Teaching and learning ionisation energy in school
    • Further research
  • LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
  • SUMMARY
  • References
  • Appendix A: Assessment objectives on ionisation energy in the A-level syllabus for 2001
  • Appendix B: The third version of the justification multiple choice instrument
  • Appendix C: The Ionisation Energy Diagnostic Instrument (IEDI)

Download the full report here

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