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Calculus Cognitive Diagnostic: Mathematics skills tested in first semester calculus courses
written by Kevin Roberge, Vy Le, Ben Van Dusen, and Jayson M. Nissen
Physics instructors and education researchers use research-based assessments (RBAs) to evaluate students' preparation for physics courses. This preparation and learning can cover a range of topics, including algebra, pre-calculus and calculus. To meet the need for high quality, adaptable assessments, we are developing a cognitive diagnostic for calculus as an online test using evidence centered design. Using cognitive diagnostic models and computerized adaptive testing allows the users to customize which skills are assessed and when they are assessed. In this article, we investigate the extent to which our model of the students calculus skills fit the data from three mathematics RBAs. Our model included five calculus skills students often use in physics courses: pre-calculus knowledge, limits, derivatives, applications of derivatives, and integration. The data came from the LASSO platform and includes 4,132 responses from the Calculus Concept Assessment, Calculus Concept Inventory, and Pre-calculus Concept Assessment. The "Deterministic Input, Noisy 'And' gate" (DINA) analyses demonstrated a good fit for the five skills to the data. These results provide validity for our model of mathematics skills students develop. Including items from these RBAs will provide a foundation for developing a flexible assessment of a range of mathematics skills that can adapt to instructors' and researchers' needs.
Physics Education Research Conference 2025
Part of the PER Conference series
Washington, DC: August 6-7, 2025
Pages 368-373
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education - Basic Research
- Assessment
= Instruments
= Methods
- Research Design & Methodology
= Evaluation
= Statistics
= Validity
Mathematical Tools
- Calculus
= Derivative
= Integral
- Trig and Pre-cal
- Lower Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Research study
PER-Central Type Intended Users Ratings
- PER Literature
- Researchers
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Format:
application/pdf
Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2025…
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This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the published article's author(s), title, proceedings citation, and DOI.
Rights Holder:
American Association of Physics Teachers
DOI:
10.1119/perc.2025.pr.Roberge
Keyword:
PERC 2025
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created October 20, 2025 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
October 27, 2025 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
October 28, 2025
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AIP Format
K. Roberge, V. Le, B. Van Dusen, and J. Nissen, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2025, Washington, DC, 2025, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17168&DocID=6096).
AJP/PRST-PER
K. Roberge, V. Le, B. Van Dusen, and J. Nissen, Calculus Cognitive Diagnostic: Mathematics skills tested in first semester calculus courses, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2025, Washington, DC, 2025, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17168&DocID=6096>.
APA Format
Roberge, K., Le, V., Van Dusen, B., & Nissen, J. (2025, August 6-7). Calculus Cognitive Diagnostic: Mathematics skills tested in first semester calculus courses. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2025, Washington, DC. Retrieved December 12, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17168&DocID=6096
Chicago Format
Roberge, K, V. Le, B. Van Dusen, and J. Nissen. "Calculus Cognitive Diagnostic: Mathematics skills tested in first semester calculus courses." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2025, Washington, DC, August 6-7, 2025. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17168&DocID=6096 (accessed 12 December 2025).
MLA Format
Roberge, Kevin, Vy Le, Ben Van Dusen, and Jayson Nissen. "Calculus Cognitive Diagnostic: Mathematics skills tested in first semester calculus courses." Physics Education Research Conference 2025. Washington, DC: 2025. 368-373 of PER Conference. 12 Dec. 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17168&DocID=6096>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Kevin Roberge and Vy Le and Ben Van Dusen and Jayson Nissen", Title = {Calculus Cognitive Diagnostic: Mathematics skills tested in first semester calculus courses}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2025}, Pages = {368-373}, Address = {Washington, DC}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {August 6-7}, Year = {2025} }
Refer Export Format

%A Kevin Roberge %A Vy Le %A Ben Van Dusen %A Jayson Nissen %T Calculus Cognitive Diagnostic: Mathematics skills tested in first semester calculus courses %S PER Conference %D August 6-7 2025 %P 368-373 %C Washington, DC %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17168&DocID=6096 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2025 %O August 6-7 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Roberge, Kevin %A Le, Vy %A Van Dusen, Ben %A Nissen, Jayson %D August 6-7 2025 %T Calculus Cognitive Diagnostic: Mathematics skills tested in first semester calculus courses %B Physics Education Research Conference 2025 %C Washington, DC %P 368-373 %S PER Conference %8 August 6-7 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17168&DocID=6096


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