In this study, the performance of artificial intelligence chatbots--OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft's Copilot--was evaluated and compared based on their responses to questions from the Turkish Higher Education Entrance Physics Examination over the past three years. Analysis of the chatbots' responses to TYT Physics questions showed…

This study explores the use of artificial intelligence in grading high-stakes physics exams, emphasizing the application of psychometric methods, particularly item response theory, to evaluate the reliability of AI-assisted grading. We examine how grading rubrics can be iteratively refined and how threshold parameters can determine when…

In physics education, a number of studies have developed assessments of teachers' knowledge of student understanding (KSU) of specific physics concepts with modified versions of existing concept inventories, in which teachers were asked to predict the popular incorrect answers from students. The results provide useful but indirect information to…

Many educational institutions transitioned to digital distance-based learning and assessment formats in 2020 due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome--coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. This shift has often been associated with concerns about increased student cheating and heightened stress. In this study, we compared the major course…

Students and educators often face time constraints, making it essential to develop interventions that are both easy to implement and have a substantial impact on learning and performance. One promising strategy is retrieval practice, particularly in the context of physics education, where many students struggle with basic knowledge. Prior research…

In Flanders, open admission into higher education has led to heterogeneity in academic preparedness of incoming STEM students. Higher education institutions offer low stakes positioning tests to these students in order to help them assess their level of starting competences. Due to the unique nature of these tests, little can be inferred about…

Thermodynamics is one of the most complex topics in chemistry. Cognitive Load Theory claims that the complexity of a subject is mainly due to element interactivity - how many elements an individual must organise simultaneously in her/his working memory to master a topic. The simultaneous processing of various chemistry and mathematics concepts to…

The multiple-choice section of the final examination for the first-year Advanced Physics I course at the University of Newcastle, Australia between 2010 and 2018 was investigated for gender bias. A Mantel-Haenszel analysis revealed that approximately 20% of the multiple-choice questions exhibited statistically significant gender bias. A schema for…

The current dropout rate in physics studies in Germany is about 60%, with the majority of dropouts occurring in the first year. Consequently, the physics study entry phase poses a significant challenge for many students. Students' stress perceptions can provide more profound insights into the processes and challenges during that period. In a panel…

This research explores the effect of mental model-based learning on understanding school chemistry. The learning activity included group discussion, presentation and class discussion. Pre-service chemistry teachers (PCT) analyzed school chemistry topics in relation to essential underlying concepts. The development of mental models was monitored…

Electricity and magnetism are fundamental areas of physics and are integral to science curricula at various educational levels. However, this area has been reported to contain several concepts that students find challenging, leading to perspectives that diverge from scientifically accepted views. This study examines the errors made by physics…

Learning style (LS), either visual or verbal, has become debatable in the f ield of education vis-à-vis its relation to student success. However, it remains a valuable research theme for improving learning activities in the teaching of highly visual science fields, including biology, physics, and chemistry. Previous studies have primarily focused…

Computer Based Testing has become a prominent method in student assessment in Nigeria and student perception on this testing technique is paramount. This study examined the perception of undergraduate students towards computer based testing by comparing several modules studied by Undergraduate students in Nigeria which constitutes a major gap in…

Artificial intelligence (AI) has gained massive interest with the public release of the conversational AI "ChatGPT," but it also has become a matter of concern for academia as it can easily be misused. We performed a quantitative evaluation of the performance of ChatGPT on a medical physiology university examination. Forty-one answers…

Scientific reasoning competencies (SRC) are an area of competence emphasized in science education and are considered essential in the world of 21st Century skills. Developing these competencies is important for all levels of education, from primary school to university. However, to accurately measure them, measurement tools with validity and…