PROCEEDINGS OF THE 21ST ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2018
San Diego, California
Development of the Elementary Algebra Concept Inventory for the College Context
Page: 605
This study describes the creation and validation of the first concept inventory for elementary algebra at the tertiary level. A 22-item multiple choice/multiple answer instrument was created through a combination of literature review, syllabus review, and collaboration with instructors. The instrument was then revised and tested for content, construct and concurrent validity as well as composite reliability, using a circular process that combined feedback from experts (mathematicians, instructors, and mathematics education researchers), cognitive interviews with students, and field tests using both classical test theory and item response theory. Results suggest that the inventory is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing student conceptual understanding in elementary algebra, as conceptualized in this study.