Logics of Inquiry
Professor Tobin
Memorandum #1
February 6, 2008
Development and Evaluation of a Group Test of Integrated Processes
Kenneth G. Tobin and William Capie
The abstract of the article states, "Since the items measure performance on objectives that can be readily translated into classroom activity, the test has direct applicability to classroom based research, and evaluation of instruction." Such a statement takes for granted the range of differences inherent as one moves from school to school, classroom to classroom, and teacher to teacher. The suggested generalizability or applicability of its findings needs to be balanced by a sober understanding of the fact that true replication is not something that can be guaranteed when considered within the context of the variable nature of human interaction.
The Test of Integrated Science Processes (TISP) was developed based on twelve predetermined objectives that were considered the twelve objectives one must successfully go through when planning and conducting an investigation. The designers (Tobin and Capie) chose to specify objectives hierarchically so as to display the progression in intellectual skill sets. What this design does not address is the possibility that some students employ the use of objectives other than the twelve that they predetermined. Further, it fails to take into account that the rationale of individuals might not proceed in the hierarchical fashion that Fig. 1 suggests. The 24 questions that they chose for the TISP were based on the twelve objectives (two questions per objective).
The study involved two sample groups. While it highlights the heterogeneity of the middle school sample (6th, 7th, and 8th grade students with mixed levels of SES, and intelligence and of different races), it does not explain the obvious homogeneity of the college sample (109 female college students).
A final critique of the study is that the items of the test were solely reflective of the twelve objectives that the researchers had identified as being components of planning and conducting an investigation. It is plausible that there are objectives that were not addressed. Further, the TISP results determined that "students with higher levels of formal reasoning ability tended to achieve at a higher level on the TISP" but does not offer insight into what contributed to the varying degrees of formal reasoning ability.
Judy Touzin
2 comments:
Hey. This is 350 words!
I had to pare mine down from almost 800. Also, if you noticed my earlier post, I'm not sure if we are to use these "critique" pieces or if we are to critique the piece and use something else for the memorandum. In any case, I have posted a response--see my comment under Marcos' post "Integrated Science Processes." Also, I refered to a paper as Tobin and Capie (1982), and then realized that there are several of those. The one I reviewed is called, "Relationships between formal reasoning ability, locus of control, academic engagement and integrated process skill achievement."
Is it that there are 12 objectives "you must go through" or that "here are 12 objectives that you may base lessons on, and this is a test that you can use to test the lessons based on the objectives?" I am having a difficult time with figuring the logic of this article out- there are many variables.
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