Energy Concept in Teaching and Learning

CREATE for STEM presents an International Visiting Scholar presentation. Lauri Kolamets, Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry Education at University of Tartu, Estonia will be presenting his research on “Energy Concept in Teaching and Learning.”

Abstract:

Energy conservation and the change of energy from one form to another are key concepts in everyday life. Energy concept is characterized in science education with four main components: energy as a source-form, transferable or undergoing transformation, degradable or capable of dissipation, and being conservable. One way to measure student attained curriculum outcomes in conceptualization of the energy concept (CEC) is to use non-direct psychometric measurements based on items under latent variables. For developing a CEC test, this study undertook a two-stage process, while focusing on quality of each item and latent variables. The base to describe increasing cognitive complexity, was on the 1st stage test model done with the SOLO (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes) taxonomy, while 2nd stage model was supported with TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) 2019 Framework. This study includes results from 16 and 31 multiple-choice test items administered in 2022 (n = 153) and 2023 (n = 158) with grade 9 students in Estonia. Rasch analysis provided the quality of developed items and test reliability. Results largely supported a TIMSS 2019 Framework model test, which focused instead of all four energy concept components mostly on energy transfer and transformation. 

Lauri Kolamets  is a Junior Research Fellow at the Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, in Estonia. He conducts science education research (quantitative and qualitative), supervises master students, leads a course ‘and conducts research in ”Chemistry in School” and participates in international science educational research projects. He is a middle school science teacher and was formerly a guitar teacher at the Tartu II Music School.