The use of Concept Inventories (CIs) has proliferated in Engineering and in STEM fields in general. However, the ways in which CIs have been developed is quite variable. This seminar will discuss the use of a framework called the “Assessment Triangle,” which assessment experts have proposed as a state-of-the-art model for developing all assessment instruments – including CIs. The development of the Thermal and Transport Science Concept Inventory (TTCI) will be used as an example of how the “Assessment Triangle” can be used to develop CIs.

Biography

Ruth Streveler is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue. Her primary research interest is the investigation of how students learn difficult concepts in engineering science. This interest includes the development of concept inventories to measure conceptual understanding of difficult concepts. Along with her colleague Dr. Ron Miller (Colorado School of Mines), she has been developing the TTCI since 2001. This ongoing work has been supported by three NSF grants. 

More information about the development of the TTCI can be found in: Streveler, R.A., Miller, R.L., Santiago Roman, A.I., Nelson, M.A., Geist, M.R., & Olds, B.M. (2011). Using the “assessment triangle” as a framework for developing concept inventories: A case study using the thermal and transport concept inventory. International Journal of Engineering Education, 27 (5), 1-17.