QCP 522 Teaching of Physics III

1. QCP 522 Teaching of Physics III Marking Scheme & Evaluating Students’ Answers

2. Key Areas … • Constructing a marking scheme • Evaluating students’ answers

3. Constructing Marking Scheme

4. Marking Scheme • Shows answers • Shows how marks are distributed specifically • Should be as objective as possible to minimise variation that might result from differences in interpretation • Must accommodate all correct responses to a question • Should be written before paper is administered and happens at the same time as questions are set • Decide on guidelines which inform how marks will be awarded

5. Basic Codes for Mark Allocation (as used in GCE exams)

6. Basic Codes used in GCE marking

7. Sample Question A

8. Sample Question B Two 4.0 Ω resistors are connected in series to a 12 V battery. Calculate: • the total resistance of the circuit, • the current supplied by the battery. R1 + R2 or 4.0 + 4.0 C1 = 8.0 Ω A1 V = IR in any symbolic form C1 12/8 C1 1.5 A A1

9. Sample Answer 1 (i) 4.0 + 4.0 = 8.0 Ω (ii) 12/8 = 1.5 A

10. Sample Answer 2 (i) 4.0 + 4.0 = 8.0 Ω (ii) 1.5 A

11. Sample Answer 3 (i) 1/4 + 1/4 = ½ R = 2.0 Ω (ii) I = V/R = 12/2 = 6.0 A

12. Sample Answer 4 (i) 1/4 + 1/4 = ½ R = 2.0 Ω (ii) I = V/R = 12 / 2 = 1.5 A

13. Sample Answer 5 (i) 1/4 + 1/4 = ½ R = 2.0 Ω (ii) I = VR = 12/2 = 6.0 A

14. Sample Answer 6 (i) 1/4 + 1/4 = ½ R = 2.0 Ω (ii) I = 6.0 A

15. Arithmetic error • Wrong answer because of arithmetic error will lose one mark (the final A mark). • This can arise from errors due to • Factors of ten (e.g., mistaking 109 for x104) • Misunderstanding SI prefixes (e.g., kg instead of g) • Does NOT apply where a factor of ten arises due to conceptual errors • E.g., W = m/g or m = 20 N

16. Significant Number • Answers to be given to at least two significant figures, unless specifically stated on the mark scheme. • Example 1: R = 4.0 + 4.0 = 8 Ω • Example 2: R = 8 + 1.1 = 9.1 Ω • Example 3: I = 12/8 = 2 C or 1.5 mJ or 0.7 A Wrong s.f  -1 for answer mark Correct coz 8 is exact  -1 for answer mark Wrong answer, wrong sf, wrong unit  -1 for answer mark

17. Sample Question C Sample Question C

18. Sample Question D

19. Sample Question E

20. Activity 1 Constructing Marking Scheme

21. Issues to consider when constructing marking scheme • Setting a standard • Alteration of marking scheme to alter the difficulty/ease of paper without changing questions • Deciding what is acceptable and what is not (not just about what is right or wrong) • Norm reference vs critierion reference • Reliable and discriminating assessment • Identifying which grade rank students can score the mark • Other consideration • Completion time, magnitude of task and difficulty of task

22. Activity 2 Evaluating Students’ Answers

23. Evaluating Students’ Answers Some pointers to take note when marking papers • Consistency in marking • Assess students’ understanding (what’s the tolerance level) • Fairness

24. Preparing students for assessment … Give students enough information before assessing them • Time/date • Content areas • Assessment conditions (duration, no. of test items, closed/open book) • Types of test items (where’s the emphasis?) • Weightage of different components • Give opportunity to practice expected performance • Clarify scoring of test • How test results will be used

25. Summary • Guidelines for constructing marking scheme • Considerations for evaluating students’ answers • Preparing students for test

26. Assignment 1: Setting test paper Part I: Constructing test paper should • Be based on one topic in the physics syllabus • Have a time frame of 45 minutes • Have a total of 30 marks • Consist of 10 MCQs (10 marks), two structured questions (Section A type questions: 10 marks total) and one “longer” structured w/free response question or data-based question (Section B type questions: 10 marks) • Be complete with TOS and marking scheme • State topic, class level, ability group (in TOS)

27. Assignment 1: Setting test paper Part II: Provide justification for • Choice of distractors for multiple-choice questions: Choose three MCQs from the test paper and provide justifications for the choice of the distractors. • Choice of questions for one short “structured” question: Choose one of the two short-answer questions. Explain your choice of question(s). You may provide make reference to the other questions of the paper in your justification. • Marking scheme for the longer “structured” /free response question: Provide justification for the detailed mark allocation for each part of the free response question. DEADLINE: 17 September 2009 Submit softcopy through BB (Safe Assignment)

28. Justifying for distractors in MCQs • What is the basis that help you decide on the choice of distractors? • How do your distractors inform you about your students’ degree of understanding? You may want to refer to the guidelines for choosing distractors. (e.g., http://www.utexas.edu/academic/diia/assessment/iar/students/plan/method/exams-mchoice-write.php)

29. Justifying for choice of short structured questions You may wish to explain your choice of question in terms of: • Content (single or integrated) • Context (real vs decontextualized) • Mode of representation (text, graph, table, diagram, etc) • Number/theme of sections/sub-sections • Progression of questions • Tasks (standard and degree of difficulty) • Wording (if applicable) You may need to refer to the other questions for some of the above issues.

30. Justifying for marking scheme You may wish to explain how you decide on the marking scheme: • Maintaining standard (what is acceptable or not) • Balancing norm/criterion reference (discrimination) • Other issues (time/difficulty/magnitude)