Simulated Performance Assessments for Related Knowledge and Skills

by

John Chamberlain, CORD4901 Bosque Blvd• Waco, TX 76710

Email: chamber@cord.org

Supported by National Science Foundation, DUE-0603389

Trade skills (welding, construction,…)

High-risk (lasers, nuclear, bio-hazards,…)

High-cost (space program, surgery,…)

Rare/Controversial (procedures, research,…)

Troubleshooting (complex devices and situations)

Difficult (research, destructive testing, costly tools,…)

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How do we assess hand skills?Students

Employees

Paper/Pencil test (worst case)Poorly represents performance

Generally indicates only head-knowledge

Requires well-designed test instrument

Hands-on test (best case)Excellent measure of performance

Requires real-world equipment/conditions

Requires real-time proctor involvement

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Created assessments in the “middle ground”Realistically simulated the performance tasks (Univ of CO: PhET; Nat’l Instruments: LabVIEW)

Captured data and scored it with an objective rubric (Concord: SAIL/OTrunk)

Compared scores with other testsBetter than paper-pencil, and safer, more convenient and cost effective than real hands-on assessments.

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CComputer-omputer-AAssisted ssisted PPerformance erformance AAssessmentsssessments

Digital MultimeterUsing a DMMOhm’s Law

OscilloscopeFreq and amplitudeAmplitude modulation

Circuit troubleshootingLogic gates (digital)Amplifier (analog)

More details are available at:http://capa.concord.org

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Compared to multiple choice tests, conflicting interpretations of results.

Is the multiple choice test measuring the same thing as the hands-on simulation?

Is simulation giving adequate motor-skill feedback to approximate real-hands-on task?

Course instructors are very interested!We frequently heard students ask,

“Can I try it again? I can do better!” They are very interested, too!

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Aha! Students want to improve their scores!We can TEACH the skill/concept with simulationsAs in CAPA...

Simulate real-world, hands-on tasks and equipment “Watch over the shoulder” as student performs taskScore student actions as well as answersProvide detailed report to student and teacher

In addition to CAPA...Enable students to repeat the assessment and encourage them to improve their scoreTrack student performance: overall, and trouble areasRun in a browser, requiring minimal softwareInclude tutorial material designed to teach!

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Digital Multimeters,Breadboard, DC

Oscilloscope, Function generator, AC

1 - Resistor Color Code

2 - Series Circuits

3 - Parallel Circuits

4 - Series-Parallel Circuits

5 – AC Series Circuits

6 - AC Parallel Circuits

7 - AC Series-Parallel Circuits

8 - Resonant Circuits

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Simulated Performance Assessments for Related Knowledge and SkillsSimulated Performance Assessments for Related Knowledge and Skills

Students are presented withRealistic resistor

Random (but real) R values

A realistic, functioninginteractive digital multimeter

TasksInterpret resistor color bands

Measure R by properly using the digital multimeter

Compare with rated tolerance range

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Students are presented withRandom (but real) R values

Realistic resistors in circuits on a realistic breadboard

A functioning, interactive digital multimeter (DMM)

Tasked withMaking voltage and current Making voltage and current measurements in series and measurements in series and parallel circuits.parallel circuits.

Calculating resistance values Calculating resistance values by applying Ohm’s Law.by applying Ohm’s Law.

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For more information:

http://sparks.concord.org(always under development )

To contact us, send email to:

sparks@concord.org13