Methodology used to analyze student misconceptions, errors, and misunderstandings in timss

Abstract

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and TIMSS Advanced assessments are a good source of data for the study of student misconceptions, errors, and misunderstandings in physics and mathematics. After examining the available range of TIMSS and TIMSS Advanced data, five countries that participated in the TIMSS 2015 and TIMSS Advanced 2015 assessments, and all, or most, of the prior TIMSS assessments, were selected for study (Italy, Norway, Slovenia, the Russian Federation, and the United States) to maximize the cross-country comparisons that could be made across grade levels and assessment years. A complete review of the TIMSS and TIMSS Advanced assessment frameworks and content mapping (to determine related topics and items across grades and assessment cycles) identified the set of items that measure misconceptions, errors, and misunderstandings related to the topics of gravity and linear equations. Item-level statistics (the percentage of students who provided the correct answer, and the percentage demonstrating the misconception, error, or misunderstanding) were used to make comparisons across countries at each grade level overall and by gender. In addition to analyzing gender differences, examining trends in patterns of misconceptions, errors, and misunderstandings over time provided important information across countries.