The Validity of Concurrently Measuring Students’ Knowledge and Misconception related to Shape Properties

• In Event: Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: Cognition in Assessment and Cognitive Diagnostic Modeling

Abstract

The Diagnostic Geometry Assessment project applies findings from cognitive research to develop a formative assessment system that teachers can use to identify and address students’ geometric misconceptions. The items use a distracter-driven approach in which items contain response options representing the correct answer, response options likely to be selected by a student operating under the misconception, and response options unrelated to the misconception. Thus, the set of items can be scored as an estimate of ability or a diagnosis of misconception. This paper presents evidence of the validity of inferences made by these items as both a measurement of ability and misconception in the context of geometric properties of shapes. Evidence is presented of the content-related, construct-related, and criterion-related validity.

Author

• Jessica Masters, Measured Progress