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Are All Wrong FCI Answers Equivalent?
written by Helena Dedic, Steven Rosenfield, and Nathaniel Lasry
The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) has been efficiently used to assess conceptual learning in mechanics. Each FCI question has one Newtonian answer and four wrong answers (distracters). Researchers and practitioners most frequently use measures of total score to assess learning. Yet, are all wrong answers equivalent? We conducted Latent Markov Chain Modeling (LMCM) analyses of all choices (right and wrong) on a subset of four FCI questions. LMCM assesses whether there are groups of students sharing similar patterns of responses. We infer that students sharing similar patterns also share similar reasoning. Our results show seven reasoning-groups. LMCM also computes probabilities of transition from one reasoning-group to another after instruction. Examining transitions between groups, we note a clear hierarchy. Groups at the top of the hierarchy are comprised of students that use Newtonian thinking more consistently but also choose certain wrong answers more frequently; suggesting that not all wrong answers are equivalent.
Physics Education Research Conference 2010
Part of the PER Conference series
Portland, Oregon: July 21-22, 2010
Volume 1289, Pages 125-128
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Classical Mechanics
- General
Education Foundations
- Assessment
= Conceptual Assessment
- Lower Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Report
= Research study
Intended Users Formats Ratings
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- Professional/Practitioners
- application/pdf
- non-digital
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Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3515177
Access Rights:
Limited free access and
Available for purchase
A preprint of the work is available. A hard copy of the PERC 2010 proceedings is available for purchase from the AIP.
Restriction:
© 2010 American Institute of Physics
DOI:
10.1063/1.3515177
PACSs:
01.40.Fk
01.40.gf
01.30.Ha
Keywords:
Force Concept Inventory, Latent Class Analysis, Latent Markov Chain model, PERC 2010, knowledge in pieces, student conceptions
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created October 11, 2010 by Alea Smith
Record Updated:
May 1, 2013 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
August 24, 2010
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AIP Format
H. Dedic, S. Rosenfield, and N. Lasry, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, 2010, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10406&DocID=1878).
AJP/PRST-PER
H. Dedic, S. Rosenfield, and N. Lasry, Are All Wrong FCI Answers Equivalent?, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, 2010, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10406&DocID=1878>.
APA Format
Dedic, H., Rosenfield, S., & Lasry, N. (2010, July 21-22). Are All Wrong FCI Answers Equivalent?. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10406&DocID=1878
Chicago Format
Dedic, H, S. Rosenfield, and N. Lasry. "Are All Wrong FCI Answers Equivalent?." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, July 21-22, 2010. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10406&DocID=1878 (accessed 18 April 2024).
MLA Format
Dedic, Helena, Steven Rosenfield, and Nathaniel Lasry. "Are All Wrong FCI Answers Equivalent?." Physics Education Research Conference 2010. Portland, Oregon: 2010. 125-128 Vol. 1289 of PER Conference. 18 Apr. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10406&DocID=1878>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Helena Dedic and Steven Rosenfield and Nathaniel Lasry", Title = {Are All Wrong FCI Answers Equivalent?}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2010}, Pages = {125-128}, Address = {Portland, Oregon}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {1289}, Month = {July 21-22}, Year = {2010} }
Refer Export Format

%A Helena Dedic %A Steven Rosenfield %A Nathaniel Lasry %T Are All Wrong FCI Answers Equivalent? %S PER Conference %V 1289 %D July 21-22 2010 %P 125-128 %C Portland, Oregon %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10406&DocID=1878 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2010 %O July 21-22 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Dedic, Helena %A Rosenfield, Steven %A Lasry, Nathaniel %D July 21-22 2010 %T Are All Wrong FCI Answers Equivalent? %B Physics Education Research Conference 2010 %C Portland, Oregon %V 1289 %P 125-128 %S PER Conference %8 July 21-22 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10406&DocID=1878


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Are All Wrong FCI Answers Equivalent?:


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