Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Science teaching

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Education

Raising Standards : A Shared Challenge, Geoff Masters Aug 2012

Raising Standards : A Shared Challenge, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Geoff Masters outlines his recommendations to improve literacy, numeracy and science learning in Queensland primary schools.


Pat Science : Getting Good Assessment Down Pat, Geoff Masters Aug 2012

Pat Science : Getting Good Assessment Down Pat, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

A new school assessment resource in science from the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has just been launched, following more than two years of development and trial testing. Called PAT Science, the new addition to the Progressive Achievement Tests series complements PAT Reading and PAT Maths, which are now widely used in Australian schools. PAT Science fills an identified need for better classroom information about the progress students make in their science learning between Year 3 and Year 10. By the time they reach 15 years of age, 13 percent of Australian students are classified as 'at risk' of …


Computer Adaptive Testing : A Feasibility Study, Siek Khoo, Geoff Masters, Ray Adams Aug 2012

Computer Adaptive Testing : A Feasibility Study, Siek Khoo, Geoff Masters, Ray Adams

Prof Geoff Masters AO

The Australian National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) commissioned ACER to investigate the feasibility of implementing computer adaptive testing (CAT) in NOOSR’s screening examinations for overseas trained professionals. The National Office administers screening examinations in seven professions (Dentistry, Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Podiatry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and Veterinary Science) at venues throughout Australia and in up to fifty centres around the world. Surveys were conducted to gain an overview of the current methods and procedures used by NOOSR in the screening examinations. Issues related to the application of CAT to NOOSR’s screening examinations and the possible improvement of NOOSR’s assessment program …


Assessing Science Learning, Geoff Masters Aug 2012

Assessing Science Learning, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

A new school assessment resource provides teachers with information about individual students’ achievement and progress in science. Geoff Masters details the development of the Progressive Achievement Test in Science.


Textbook Treatments And Students’ Understanding Of Acceleration, G Dall’Alba, E Walsh, J Bowden, E Martin, Geoff Masters, P Ramsden, Andrew Stephanou Dec 1992

Textbook Treatments And Students’ Understanding Of Acceleration, G Dall’Alba, E Walsh, J Bowden, E Martin, Geoff Masters, P Ramsden, Andrew Stephanou

Prof Geoff Masters AO

A single science textbook often provides the syllabus for courses at upper secondary and tertiary levels, and may be used as a principal source of information or explanation. The research reported in this article challenges such practices. The ways in which the concept, acceleration, is treated in physics textbooks is compared with understandings of the concept demonstrated by final-year secondary (Year 12) and first-year university students. Some students' understandings are shown to be incomplete in ways that parallel misleading or inaccurate textbook treatments of the concept. In addition to misleading or inaccurate statements, the limitations of some textbook treatments of …


Phenomenographic Research And The Measurement Of Understanding: An Investigation Of Students' Conceptions Of Speed, Distance And Time, P Ramsden, Geoff Masters, Andrew Stephanou, E Walsh, E Martin Dec 1992

Phenomenographic Research And The Measurement Of Understanding: An Investigation Of Students' Conceptions Of Speed, Distance And Time, P Ramsden, Geoff Masters, Andrew Stephanou, E Walsh, E Martin

Prof Geoff Masters AO

No abstract provided.


Physics Students' Understanding Of Relative Speed: A Phenomenographic Study, Eleanor Walsh, Gloria Dall'alba, John Bowden, Elaine Martin, Ference Marton, Geoff Masters, Paul Ramsden, Andrew Stephanou Dec 1992

Physics Students' Understanding Of Relative Speed: A Phenomenographic Study, Eleanor Walsh, Gloria Dall'alba, John Bowden, Elaine Martin, Ference Marton, Geoff Masters, Paul Ramsden, Andrew Stephanou

Prof Geoff Masters AO

It is important that students of physics develop both quantitative and qualitative understanding of physical concepts and principles. Although accuracy and reliability in solving quantitative problems is necessary, a qualitative understanding is required in applying concepts and principles to new problems and in real-life situations. If students are not able to understand what underlies quantitative problem-solving procedures nor interpret the solution in physical terms, it is questionable whether they have developed an adequate understanding of physics. The research reported here is part of a larger phenomenographic study that is concerned with the assessment of physics students' understanding of some basic …


Displacement, Velocity, And Frames Of Reference: Phenomenographic Studies Of Students’ Understanding And Some Implications For Teaching And Assessment, John Bowden, Gloria Dall'alba, Elaine Martin, D Laurillard, Ference Marton, Geoff Masters, Paul Ramsden, Andrew Stephanou, E Walsh Dec 1991

Displacement, Velocity, And Frames Of Reference: Phenomenographic Studies Of Students’ Understanding And Some Implications For Teaching And Assessment, John Bowden, Gloria Dall'alba, Elaine Martin, D Laurillard, Ference Marton, Geoff Masters, Paul Ramsden, Andrew Stephanou, E Walsh

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Student understanding of fundamental concepts in kinematics has been explored using the phenomenographic research method. University and high schoolphysics students were interviewed and their understandings of displacement, velocity, and frames of reference have been analyzed in particular problem contexts. Descriptions of the different ways students understand the concepts have been developed and relations between the different levels of understanding have been identified. The data highlight the contextual nature of learning and the need for teachers to focus on the nature of student understanding in specific contexts using questions that require qualitative explanation by students. In particular, it is demonstrated that …