This study aimed to analyze second-semester organic chemistry students' problem-solving strategies, specifically focusing on the resources activated while solving problems on E2, E1, and E1cB elimination reactions. Using the theoretical framework by Elby and Hammer, we defined a resource as a unit of information used in the problem-solving…

In this digital ITEMS module, Dr. Jacqueline Leighton and Dr. Blair Lehman review differences between think-aloud interviews to measure problem-solving processes and cognitive labs to measure comprehension processes. Learners are introduced to historical, theoretical, and procedural differences between these methods and how to use and analyze…

This study aims to describe how subjects construct explicit warrant derived from implicit warrant when completing mathematical proof. This research was conducted on seventeen students of mathematics education study programs by providing tests on vector material in elementary linear algebra courses. The test results show that there are four…

The goal of this paper is twofold. First, the paper clarifies and elaborates on an important theoretical construct called orientation with respect to understanding in mathematics, which denotes the degree to which students exhibit an inclination towards and demonstrate an earnest concern for understanding in mathematical learning. Second, the…

This article illustrates and differentiates the unique role cognitive interviews and think-aloud interviews play in developing and validating assessments. Specifically, we describe the use of (a) cognitive interviews to gather empirical evidence to support claims about the intended construct being measured and (b) think-aloud interviews to gather…

In classroom learning, students need mathematical cognitive flexibility to be able to solve mathematical problems with the various ideas they express. To solve the problems, they must be able to grasp the problem, see it from various points of view, and should not be rigid thinking with one solving method. In fact, the students still lack the…

This case study describes how our research team conducted the qualitative think-aloud approach (or cognitive pretesting) to obtaining cognitive validity evidence for a biology inference-making and reasoning measure for undergraduate students. The main goal of our work was to gather high-quality student think-aloud data of reasoning while they were…

We introduce a template to (i) scaffold the problem solving process for students in the physics 1 course, and (ii) serve as a generic rubric for measuring how expertlike students are in their problem solving. This template is based on empirical studies of the problem solving practices of expert scientists and engineers, unlike most existing…

This paper describes a qualitative study that examined how preservice teachers engaged in a "Second Life" activity intended to help them reflect on how knowledge of human rights may affect their professional practice. This process utilized a problem-solving strategy to determine their goal-oriented character traits. Therefore, the…

This article reports about our efforts to determine engineering students' competence in mathematics. Our research is embedded in a larger project, KoM@ING--"Modeling and developing competence: Integrated IRT based and qualitative studies with a focus on mathematics and its usage in engineering studies", within the program "Modeling…

The purpose of the study is to present research focused on validating the four algebra cognitive models in Gierl, Wang, et al., using student response data collected with protocol analysis methods to evaluate the knowledge structures and processing skills used by a sample of SAT test takers.

Thirty-one students (ages 8-14) with learning disabilities or behavior disorders solved arithmetic word problems while a narrative protocol was developed. Eight types of cognitive processing difficulties were identified (such as lack of self-correction and inclusion of extraneous information), and the utility of protocol analysis as an assessment…