Students in undergraduate chemistry courses find, as a rule, topics with a strong mathematical basis difficult to master. In this study we investigate whether such mathematically related problems are due to deficiencies in their mathematics foundation or due to the complexity introduced by transfer of mathematics to a new scientific domain. In the…

This document, in both English and French versions, is the Biology 30 Grade 12 Diploma Examination from Alberta Education. It is a 2.5 hour closed-book examination consisting of 48 multiple-choice and 8 numerical-response questions of equal value that are worth 70% of the examination, and 2 written-response questions of equal value worth 30% of…

The gender gap - what is it? After all these years of gender equity in schools, does the gap still exist? Can it be closed? The answers to these questions are both simple and complex. For instance, there are still gender gaps between girls and boys in various aspects of achievement and other performance outcomes in schools. In some areas, girls…

Examines whether reviewing relevant material before an exam really enhances student understanding and therefore performance on assessments. Results show that review dramatically increased student achievement. (Author/NB)

Briefly describes the first Astronomy Olympiad in Israel. Presents an example of deliberately planting errors in a scientific article in order to assess contestants' knowledge and their ability to confront familiar material presented in a nontraditional format. (JRH)

Presents the results of a survey by the Assessment and Examinations Committee to seek members' views on modular courses. The majority of the respondents felt that the administration of the course was reasonable, set dates were causing disruption in schools, feedback was too slow and was useful only to some, and the weighting for each test was a…

IRT models' advantages can only be realized when the model fits the data set of interest. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate which IRT model will provide the best fit to the data obtained from OZDEBYR OSS 2004 D-II Exam Science Test. In goodness-of-fit analysis, first the model assumptions and then the expected model features were checked.…

Recent discoveries about the role of microorganisms in the establishment of the geological conditions in the planet have lead to the development of courses in Geomicrobiology. Unfortunately, most courses are designed for students with a strong Geology background, which is a limitation for universities that lack such courses. To overcome this…

Our recent review of content assessments revealed that language expectations and proficiencies are often implicitly embedded within the assessment criteria. Based on a review of performance assessments used in high school biology settings, we have found a recurring discrepancy between assessment scoring criteria and performance expectations. …

This study focuses on how the treatment effects of a teacher professional development initiative in science differed by school capacity. In other words, the authors are primarily concerned with treatment effect heterogeneity. As such, this paper complements ongoing evaluation of the average treatment effects of the initiative over time. The…

This paper provides information about Nevada's High School Proficiency Examination (HSPE). The purpose of the exam is to: (1) Provide schools with student academic diagnostic information; (2) Determine prospective high school graduates' knowledge and skill levels relative to those needed for entry-level employment; (3) Determine prospective high…

This study was conducted to determine 4th, 5th, and 6th grade Turkish primary students' conceptions about the particulate nature of matter via a test. The test consists of 36 items related to the changes of microscopic properties of solid, liquid and gas matters during phase changing, cooling, heating and pressing of them. The sample of the study…

This document is a Chemistry 30 Grade 12 Diploma Examination from Alberta Education. It is a 2.5 hour closed-book examination consisting of 44 multiple-choice and 12 numerical-response questions of equal value worth 70% of the examination and two written-response questions of equal value worth 30% of the examination. The exam contains sets of…

This document is a Physics 30 Grade 12 Diploma Examination from Alberta Education. It is a 2.5 hour closed-book examination consisting of 37 multiple-choice and 12 numerical-response questions of equal value worth 70% of the examination and two written-response questions of equal value worth 30% of the examination. The exam contains sets of…