Development of a two-tiered multiple choice test to measure misconceptions in physics among high school students in Thailand.

摘要

The objectives of this study were to construct and develop a two-tiered multiple-choice test for the measurement of student misconceptions in optics at the level of secondary education in Thailand, as well as to investigate the effects of gender, grade level, and type of school upon levels of student misconceptions.;A mixed analysis of variance model was used to investigate the effects of gender, grade level, and type of school upon subject misconception scores in the field of optics. Analysis of the data revealed the following: (1) a paper-pencil test based upon a pattern of two-tiered multiple-choice questions and reasons developed for this study provided a valid and reliable measure of student misconceptions in optics at the level of secondary education in Thailand; (2) gender, grade level, and type of school did not have significant effects upon subject misconception scores among Thai high school students; (3) the subgroup school within type was found to have a significant effect upon subject misconception scores; (4) when fixed grade levels were considered for type of school, there were significant differences in misconceptions among 12th grade subjects from different types of schools; (5) certain consistent misconceptions in the area of optics, related to the properties of a converging lens, images from a plane mirror and a converging lens, light rays, regions of light travel, shadow formation, and lightning flashes, existed among Thai physics students at the level of secondary education.;Misconceptions were measured by the Two-Tiered Optics Misconception (TTOM) test instrument developed for this study. Based upon criteria-evidence, the validity or appropriateness, meaningfulness, and usefulness of inferences derived from scores obtained from administration of the instrument was demonstrated at acceptable levels. The TTOM was administered to 932 high school subjects from randomly selected all-male, all-female, and coeducational 10th through 12th grade classes in Bangkok, Thailand.