home - login - register

PERC 2019 Abstract Detail Page

Previous Page  |  New Search  |  Browse All

Abstract Title: Using psychometric tools as a window into students’ quantitative reasoning in introductory physics
Abstract: The Physics Inventory of Quantitative Literacy (PIQL), a reasoning inventory under development, aims to assess students' physics quantitative literacy at the introductory level. PIQL's design presents the challenge of isolating types of mathematical reasoning that are independent of each other in physics questions. In its current form, PIQL spans three principle reasoning subdomains previously identified in mathematics and physics education research: ratios and proportions, covariation, and signed (negative) quantities. An important psychometric objective is to test the orthogonality of these three reasoning subdomains. We present results from exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and module analysis that inform interpretations of the underlying structure of PIQL from a student viewpoint, emphasizing ways in which these results agree and disagree with expert categorization. In addition to informing the development of existing and new PIQL assessment items, these results are also providing exciting insights into students' quantitative reasoning at the introductory level.
Abstract Type: Contributed Poster Presentation
Session Time: Poster Session II
Poster Number: B52
Contributed Paper Record: Contributed Paper Information
Contributed Paper Download: Download Contributed Paper

Author/Organizer Information

Primary Contact: Trevor I. Smith
Rowan University
Co-Author(s)
and Co-Presenter(s)
Philip Eaton, Montana State University
Suzanne Brahmia, University of Washington
Alexis Olsho, University of Washington
Andrew Boudreaux, Western Washington University
Chris DePalma, Rowan University
Victor LaSasso, Rowan University
Scott Straguzzi, Rowan University
Christopher Whitener, Rowan University

Contributed Poster

Contributed Poster: Download the Contributed Poster