University Students' Conceptual Knowledge of Randomness and Probability in the Contexts of Evolution and Mathematics

Autor/inn/en	Fiedler, Daniela; Tröbst, Steffen; Harms, Ute
Titel	University Students' Conceptual Knowledge of Randomness and Probability in the Contexts of Evolution and Mathematics
Quelle	In: CBE - Life Sciences Education, 16 (2017) 2, Artikel 38 (16 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1931-7913
DOI	10.1187/cbe.16-07-0230
Schlagwörter	College Students; Concept Formation; Probability; Evolution; Mathematics; Biology; Fundamental Concepts; Multiple Choice Tests; Item Response Theory; Test Reliability; Test Validity; Majors (Students); Preservice Teachers; Differences; Foreign Countries; Statistical Analysis; Questionnaires; Germany + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Collegestudent; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung; Wahrscheinlichkeitsrechnung; Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie; Mathematik; Biologie; Grundlagenplan; Konzept; Multiple choice examinations; Multiple-choice tests, Multiple-choice examinations; Multiple-Choice-Verfahren; Item-Response-Theorie; Testreliabilität; Testvalidität; Unterscheiden; Ausland; Statistische Analyse; Fragebogen; Deutschland
Abstract	Students of all ages face severe conceptual difficulties regarding key aspects of evolution-- the central, unifying, and overarching theme in biology. Aspects strongly related to abstract "threshold" concepts like randomness and probability appear to pose particular difficulties. A further problem is the lack of an appropriate instrument for assessing students' conceptual knowledge of randomness and probability in the context of evolution. To address this problem, we have developed two instruments, Randomness and Probability Test in the Context of Evolution (RaProEvo) and Randomness and Probability Test in the Context of Mathematics (RaProMath), that include both multiple-choice and free-response items. The instruments were administered to 140 university students in Germany, then the Rasch partial-credit model was applied to assess them. The results indicate that the instruments generate reliable and valid inferences about students' conceptual knowledge of randomness and probability in the two contexts (which are separable competencies). Furthermore, RaProEvo detected significant differences in knowledge of randomness and probability, as well as evolutionary theory, between biology majors and preservice biology teachers. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Society for Cell Biology. 8120 Woodmont Avenue Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20814-2762. Tel: 301-347-9300; Fax: 301-347-9310; e-mail: ascbinfo@ascb.org; Website: http://www.ascb.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01