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Assessment of expert-novice chemistry problem solving using HyperCard: Early findings

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Abstract

Results of a HyperCard method for assessing the performance of expert and novice high school chemistry students solving stoichiometric chemistry problems (balancing chemical equations) have been reported. The assessment involved the use of a HyperCard instrument (“Hyperequation”) developed on a Macintosh platform to administer a set of five chemistry problems, register student responses, and collect data related to student performance. The chemistry problems have been previously tested and validated in traditional (pen-paper) assessment settings by other researchers. MANOVA results indicate a significant difference between the performance of expert and novice students solving the five stoichiometric chemistry problems using the Hyperequation. The study shows promise in that a HyperCard assessment method could differentiate between the performance of experts and novices in problem solving. The implication is that HyperCard might be a suitable technology for developing performance assessment methods not only in chemistry but also in other science disciplines.

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Kumar, D.D. Assessment of expert-novice chemistry problem solving using HyperCard: Early findings. J Sci Educ Technol 2, 481–485 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00694430

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