Translation and validation of a two-tier instrument on simple electric circuits
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22600/1518-8795.ienci2024v29n3p153Keywords:
Electric circuits, Current, Voltage, Item Response TheoryAbstract
Research on teaching electric circuits has highlighted students´ difficulties in the construction of a solid and scientifically consistent mental model. A two-tier simple electric circuits test (2T-SEC Test), designed to assess knowledge about simple electric circuits, was translated and administered to 223 students in the 9th and 10th grades of a Portuguese school, with the aim of validating a Portuguese language version of the questionnaire. An Item Response Theory analysis (two-parameter logistic model) was used in the validation. The internal consistency of the test for the 9th and 10th grades (Cronbach's alpha of 0,88 and 0,86, respectively) and the estimates of the item parameters (discrimination and difficulty) show that the test is reliable, valid, and suitable as a post-test for middle/high school Portuguese students. The results indicate that the questionnaire has greater information for students with an intermediate level of performance and confirm the existing literature: the concept of electrical voltage is delicate and complex, and most students take time to develop a solid and consistent mental model of electric circuits.References
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