Development of a biophotonics concept inventory for program evaluation

Abstract

The Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology has developed an evaluation tool to assess the impact of its educational programs on participants' understanding of basic concepts underlying biophotonics science. The Biophotonics Concepts Inventory (BPC) includes fourteen items; some adopted from other concept tests as well as several original items developed by CBST scientists and educators. Scientists also contributed to instrument development by completing a pilot version of the BPC during the CBST annual retreat and rating each item for relevance and importance to the field of biophotonics. The final items were selected based on item feedback and comparisons between mean item scores for scientists, undergraduates, and high school students who completed the draft version of the BPC. Items primarily focus on the behavior of light and light-matter interactions. The instrument has been used as a pre-test and post-test in programs for undergraduates, K-12 teachers, high school and middle school students. To date, there has been a significant increase in BPC scores from pre to post conditions across CBST programs and courses. We will discuss BPC development, response patterns, and pre/post group comparisons. Specifically, we will address how typical misconceptions about light and light-matter interactions were used to design items, the rationale for incorporating visual representations into many items, the methods used for investigating instrument quality, and implications for making claims about the effectiveness of CBST biophotonics education programs. ©2010 SPIE.