Construction and Validation of Physics Aptitude Test as an Assessment Tool for Senior Secondary School Students

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to construct and validate a Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) for senior secondary schools. The test was designed primarily as an assessment tool for senior secondary school students who have aptitude for Physics. Four research questions guided the study. It was an instrumentation study designed to produce an assessment tool for senior secondary school students. A sample of 200 students was randomly selected through stratified random sampling technique. The data collected were analysed to determine the validity of the test, item validity through item analysis and reliability of the Physics Aptitude Test. The findings revealed that the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) has adequate face and content validities. It is made up of 50 items. The difficulty and Discrimination indices were appropriate because they are within the standard range of indices for the test. Difficulty indices range from 0.30 to 0.70, Discrimination indices range from .30 to 0.44. A reliability coefficient of 0.94 was obtained through Kuder Richardson formula 20 as a measure of internal consistency. Since the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) was highly valid and reliable, it was recommended that it should always be used as an assessment tool for determining the aptitude of senior secondary school students in Physics.

Keywords

• Construction
• Validation
• Physics
• Aptitude Test

Construction and Validation of Physics Aptitude Test as an Assessment Tool for Senior Secondary School Students

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to construct and validate a Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) for senior secondary schools. The test was designed primarily as an assessment tool for senior secondary school students who have aptitude for Physics. Four research questions guided the study. It was an instrumentation study designed to produce an assessment tool for senior secondary school students. A sample of 200 students was randomly selected through stratified random sampling technique. The data collected were analysed to determine the validity of the test, item validity through item analysis and reliability of the Physics Aptitude Test. The findings revealed that the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) has adequate face and content validities. It is made up of 50 items. The difficulty and Discrimination indices were appropriate because they are within the standard range of indices for the test. Difficulty indices range from 0.30 to 0.70, Discrimination indices range from .30 to 0.44. A reliability coefficient of 0.94 was obtained through Kuder Richardson formula 20 as a measure of internal consistency. Since the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) was highly valid and reliable, it was recommended that it should always be used as an assessment tool for determining the aptitude of senior secondary school students in Physics.

Keywords

• Construction
• Validation
• Physics
• Aptitude Test

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