Data set from the design of experiment assessment rubric, from university students / future teachers

Using an assessment rubric comprising three levels of success, we evaluated six aspects of designing an experiment, which we call dimensions. This way, specific challenges were identified in two of the dimensions: forming a hypothesis and manipulating the experimental variables, where students often failed to succeed and get lower scores.

The data presented here were collected from four (4) diagnostic worksheets, which were made available to students at the beginning of the semester, where a theoretical introduction to the course is given, with reference to learning theories and their use in the teaching of Physics. Therefore, data were collected prior to discussions about the inquiry-based approach, experimental investigations, and the scientific content, such as the concepts and phenomena mentioned in the worksheets. 

For the present study, we slightly modified and used a rubric that has been proposed to assess the DoE by primary and secondary school students (Lefkos et al., 2011). The modified rubric, has already been tested in a pilot study with fruitful results (Lefkos, 2024).

Lefkos, I. (2024). An Assessment Rubric for Future Teachers’ Ability to Design Experiments. In C. Fazio & P. Logman (Eds.), Challenges in Physics Education (pp. 105–117). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48667-8_7

Lefkos, I., Psillos, D., & Hatzikraniotis, E. (2011). Designing experiments on thermal interactions by secondary-school students in a simulated laboratory environment. Research in Science & Technological Education, 29(2), 189–204. https://doi.org/10.1080/02635143.2010.533266