Assessing Pre-Service Elementary School Teachers' Alternative Conceptions Through a Four-Tier Diagnostic Test on Magnetism Concepts

This study reports on the assessment process which is to improve and to implement a four-tier test diagnostic instrument, which has not been described in the literature. It is an improved form of the two-tier test items. As in two-tier tests, its answer and reason tiers amount pre-service elementary teachers' content knowledge and explanatory knowledge, respectively. The two added tiers amount the level of confidence of pre-service teacher in the accuracy of their chosen options for the answer and reason tiers respectively. The four-tier diagnostic test is attentive on magnetism concept. It was controlled to 41 pre-service elementary teachers after they were formally instructed on the prior topics. The massive common of the respondents were found to have a poor understanding and misconceptions of the topics tested. We have already reported that the test is able to analyze and classify students into students conception of magnetism concepts. Research result with four tier test showed scientific conception 6.25%, which is likely to have misconceptions 37.5%, and the students are lack of knowledge the concept of 53.48%, and has an error amounted to 4.38%. The pre-service elementary teachers tended to be ailing perceptive between what they recognize and what they do not recognize. Understanding with the subject tested was related with better percentage of pre-service teacher generous correct answers, developed confidence and improved perception percentage. Eight sincere alternative conceptions were recognized. It could be concluded that a Four-Tier Diagnostic Test which has already been developed is able to assess pre-service elementary teachers' conception on magnetism concepts.