Research

Download Findings of the Modeling Workshop Project (1994-00)
This is one section in the Final Report submitted to the National Science Foundation in fall 2000 for the Teacher Enhancement grant entitled Modeling Instruction in High School Physics. David Hestenes, Professor of Physics at Arizona State University, was Principal Investigator.

Download Findings of the ASU Summer Graduate Program for Physics Teachers(2002-2006)
-a section in the Final Report submitted to the NSF in 2006, by David Hestenes and Jane Jackson

Articles on Modeling Instruction

Modeling Instruction: Theory and Practice:
- D. Hestenes, Modeling Games in the Newtonian World, Am. J. Phys. 60: 732-748 (1992).
- D. Hestenes, Modeling is the Name of the Game
  conceptual models and modeling in science education (1993).
- D. Hestenes (1997), Modeling Methodology for Physics Teachers. In E. Redish & J. Rigden (Eds.) The changing role of the physics department in modern universities, American Institute of Physics Part II. p. 935-957.
- M. Wells, D. Hestenes, and G. Swackhamer, A Modeling Method for High School Physics Instruction, Am. J. Phys. 63: 606-619 (1995).
- D. Hestenes, Toward a Modeling Theory of Physics Instruction, Am. J. Phys. 55, 440-454 (1987).
- D. Hestenes, Notes for a Modeling Theory of Science, Cognition and Physics Education. In E. van den Berg, A. Ellermeijer & O. Slooten (eds.) Modelling in Physics and Physics Education, (U. Amsterdam 2008).
- D. Hestenes, Modeling Theory for Math and Science Education, In R. Lesh, P. Galbraith, C. Hines, A. Hurford (eds.) Modeling Students’ Mathematical Competencies (New York: Springer, 2010).
- D. Hestenes et al: A Graduate Program for High School Physics & Physical Science Teachers, Am. J. Phys.79: 971-979 (Sept. 2011)
Commentaries on Physics Education:
- D. Hestenes, Wherefore a Science of Teaching?, The Physics Teacher 17, 235-242 (1979).
- I.Halloun and D. Hestenes, Common Sense Concepts about Motion, Am. J. Phys. 53, 1056-1065 (1985).
- D. Hestenes, Secrets of Genius, New Ideas in Psychology, 8, No 2, 231-246 (1990).
- D. Hestenes, What do graduate oral exams tell us?, Am. J. Phys. 63, 1069 (1995).
- D. Hestenes, Who needs physics education research!? Am. J. Phys. 66: 465-467 (1998).
- D. Hestenes, The scientific method, Am. J. Phys. 67: 274 (1999).

Doctoral Dissertations and Masters Degree Theses

Evaluation Instruments

FCI (Force Concept Inventory

The revised Force Concept Inventory (I. Halloun, R.R. Hake, E.P. Mosca, and D. Hestenes) is available (as a .pdf file) at this site to authorized educators. To view this file once you have downloaded it, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (download free from Adobe) and a password. Using your school e-mail, please request the password from David Koch FCIMBT@verizon.net, including your school name and location. Your name in your request will be your promise to keep the test and password secure, as described in the document you will receive. If you plan to use the test with middle school or early high school students, please say so. David is a retired physics teacher who kindly volunteered in August 2009 for this service. (David asks that you include an alternate e-mail address if you think your school is very restrictive of outside e-mail. If you do not receive a reply within two days, ask for it again, from a different e-mail address.)

Background articles

I. Halloun and D. Hestenes, The Initial Knowledge State of College Physics Students, Am. J. Phys. 53, 1043-1055 (1985).
I.Halloun and D. Hestenes, Common Sense Concepts about Motion, Am. J. Phys. 53, 1056-1065 (1985).

Download English version
Download Spanish (Espanol) version
Download Portuguese version
Download the updated German (Deutsch) verson
Download Malaysian (Bahasa) version
Download Chinese version
Download Traditional Chinese version
Download Finnish (Suomi) version
Download Turkish (Turkce) version
Email contact to obtain Swedish version
Download Russian version
Download Italian (Italiano) version
Download Czech version
Download Greek version
Download Persian version
Download Slovak version
Download French version (Canadian)
Download French version (France)
Download Japanese version (revised)
Download Arabic version (revised)
Download Croatian version

Note: you will need the password to view any of these files.

Articles about the FCI

D. Hestenes, M. Wells, and G. Swackhamer, Force Concept Inventory fromThe Physics Teacher.
Download Revised Table I and/or Revised Table II from Hestenes's 1992 article on FCI.
D. Hestenes and I. Halloun, Interpreting the FCI. The Physics Teacher 33, 502-506 (1995)
I. Halloun and D. Hestenes, Search for Coherence in FCI data
D. Hestenes, Who Needs Physics Education Research?, Am. J. Phys. 66: 465-467 (1998)
D. Hestenes, Notes for a Modeling Theory of Science, Cognition and Instruction (2006). Pages 16-22 are very important in explaining why the FCI is so successful in assessing student concept understanding.

Relevant FCI articles by other researchers

C. Henderson, Common Concerns about the Force Concept Inventory, The Physics Teacher 40: 542-567
N. Lasry et al: The puzzling reliability of the FCI, Am. J. Phys 79: 909-912
S. Osborn Popp, D. Meltzer, C. Megowan: FCI is Gender-Neutral
A. Savinainen and P. Scott: Using the FCI to monitor student learning and to plan teaching
L. Bao & E.F. Redish, Model Analysis: Assessing the Dynamics of Student Learning. Physical Review Special Topics: Physics Education Research 2 (2006)

Assessss3 spreadsheet

Assessssv3.xls (5MB) is an Excel spreadsheet updated in 2010 (to improve on the definition of normalized gain.) The spreadsheet has the ability to provide individual and entire class item analysis, especially helpful after pre-testing to determine instructional focus areas. Assessssv3 is preset for the Force Concept Inventory, Test for Understanding Graphs in Kinematics, Mechanics Baseline Test, and it has additional answer keys for Energy Concept Inventory and the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism. This instrument was developed by Jamie Vesenka, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of New England. The readmefirst file (view download) provides further information, including how you may obtain the password to open the spreadsheet.

MBT (Mechanics Baseline Test)

Background
The Mechanics Baseline Test (Hestenes & Wells) is available (as a .pdf file) at this site to qualified educators. To view this file once you have downloaded it, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (download free from Adobe) and a password. Using your school e-mail, please request the password from David Koch FCIMBT@verizon.net, including your school name and location. Your name in your request will be your promise to keep the test and password secure, as described in the document you will receive. David is a retired physics teacher who kindly volunteered in August 2009 for this service. (David asks that you include an alternate e-mail address if you think your school is very restrictive of outside e-mail. If you do not receive a reply within two days, ask for it again, from a different e-mail address.)
Download English version
Download Spanish (Espanol) version
Download Portuguese version
Download German (Deutsch) version
Download Malaysian (Bahasa) version
Download Finnish (Suomi) version
Download Turkish (Turkce) version
Download Italian (Italiano) version
Download Persian version
Download French version (France)
Download Japanese version

Article describing MBT

D. Hestenes and M. Wells, A Mechanics Baseline Test, The Physics Teacher 30: 159-165 (1992).

(weblink) Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) evaluation instrument; its history, research, & results.

RTOP Self-Assessment (no password needed)
A guide for science and math teachers to reflect upon their teaching. An Adaptation of the RTOP by Drew Isola

(weblink) RTOP online training
(weblink) RTOP videos in streaming format

VASS (Views About Sciences Survey)

VASS: version P204 (.pdf) (June 2004)
VASS taxonomy: version P204(.pdf)

Overview of VASS (.doc) (history, design, advantages, results (6 pages: excerpts))
I. Halloun and D. Hestenes, Interpreting VASS Dimensions and Profiles for Physics Students (.pdf), Science and Education (1998)
I. Halloun, Student Views about Science: A Comparative Survey (.pdf).
Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon (2001)
I. Halloun, Modeling Theory in Science Education (.doc) (book overview and ordering information. 2004)

Other concept inventories in science and math

Bob Beichner's list at NCSU.
Geoscience Concept Inventory, by Julie Libarkin
Julie Libarkin: Concept Inventories in Higher Education Science (Commissioned by the National Research Council, in 2008)

Evaluations of Modeling Instruction and Other Programs

Taxonomies of Student Conceptions

Download force conception taxonomy (1992)
Download motion conception taxonomy (1985)

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