Interpreting FCI scores: Normalized gain, preinstruction scores, and scientific reasoning ability

Coletta, Vincent P.; Phillips, Jeffrey A.

doi:doi:10.1119/1.2117109

Keyword
Volume/Page
DOI
Advanced

Search Content Type

Volume: Page/Article:

article doi:

You are not logged into this journal. Log In

Previous Article | Next Article

American Journal of Physics -- December 2005 -- Volume 73, Issue 12, pp. 1172

Interpreting FCI scores: Normalized gain, preinstruction scores, and scientific reasoning ability

Vincent P. Coletta and Jeffrey A. Phillips

Department of Physics, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California 90045

Alerts
- Alert Me When Cited
- Alert Me When Corrected
Tools
Share
- Email Abstract
- Connotea
- CiteULike
- del.icio.us
- BibSonomy
- Tweet this Article
- Add to Facebook

Abstract

References (26)

Citing Articles (19)

Related Content

Full Text: Download PDF | Buy PDF (US$30) | View Cart

We examined normalized gains and preinstruction scores on the force concept inventory (FCI) for students in interactive engagement courses in introductory mechanics at four universities and found a significant, positive correlation for three of them. We also examined class average FCI scores of 2948 students in 38 interactive engagement classes, 31 of which were from the same four universities and 7 of which came from 3 other schools. We found a significant, positive correlation between class average normalized FCI gains and class average preinstruction scores. To probe this correlation, we administered Lawson’s classroom test of scientific reasoning to 65 students and found a significant, positive correlation between these students’ normalized FCI gains and their Lawson test scores. This correlation is even stronger than the correlation between FCI gains and preinstruction FCI scores. Our study demonstrates that differences in student populations are important when comparing normalized gains in different interactive engagement classes. We suggest using the Lawson test along with the FCI to measure the effectiveness of alternative interactive engagement strategies.