PE-CAP: Redesigning Legacy Conceptual Inventories: Overview of Project Progress and the Validation Framework

This talk is part of a project (NSF award #2235518) to develop a new generation of improved instruments measuring Newtonian kinematics and dynamics. These instruments would replace the now venerable Force Concept Inventory and the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation while providing improved measurement accuracy and flexibility. More than 120 items have been tested in 11 different instruments at 3 large research universities in the Spring 2024 through Spring 2025 semesters producing over 14,000 student responses. A 20-item one-dimensional kinematics inventory is in the final testing phase with a one-dimensional dynamics instrument in the initial testing phase. Both qualitative and quantitative validation is underway. This talk will discuss the validation framework and give an overview of the quantitative and qualitative validation results to date. Issues involving applying the same instrument in calculus and algebra-based class and as a pretest and post-test will also be explored.