A Study On Alignment Between College Entrance Examination Of Physics And Content Standard

In recent years, Standard-based Curriculum Reform have implemented in many countries around the world. The basic education curriculum reform conducted in our country at the turn of the century, which never happened as its idea innovation and the scope of its implementation. The basic education curriculum reform consists of innovation of curriculum standard, textbooks, teaching and examination and so on. The improvement of teaching quality, study on the inner relationship of curriculum elements and alignment between examination, curriculum standard and teaching content are becoming important topics. Under this background, the study focuses on the alignment between college entrance examination of physics and content standard for the subject of physics in senior high school.First of all, the tool used to study the alignment between college entrance examination of physics and content standard is developed basing on the former correlative study and the situation of our country. On the basis of ascertaining the samples of content standard and papers of college entrance examination of physics, two two-dimensional matrixes for the knowledge content and their cognitive levels are set up. Then, the alignment indices of the two matrixes will be calculated with the formula of SEC. Secondly, the further study of the alignment between college entrance examination of physics and content standard are developed from the aspects of the distribution of knowledge subject, the distribution balance of knowledge content and the distribution of cognitive level. The samples of papers of college entrance examination of physics are classified into seven types on the basis of the different selected modules of college entrance examination of physics. Basing on the previous two parts, the general characteristics and characteristics on different background of curriculum reform, region and selected modules has been studied respectively.The study consists of three parts:In the first part of the study, the tool used to study the alignment between college entrance examination of physics and curriculum standard is developed based on the former correlative study and the situation of our country. Then this paper elaborates the method and results of content analysis in the content standard for subject of physics in high school, the method of analyzing the papers of college entrance examination of physics, the basic situation of the samples and so on. The method and results of calculating the critical values of alignment indices between the entrance examination of physics and content standard are introduced. Finally, the reliability and validity of the study are elaborated.The second part of the study consists of the analysis of the alignment between the past six years’ papers of college entrance examination of physics and content standard. The papers are divided into seven kinds of samples according to different selected test module.The analysis and statistics were conducted from the overall level of the alignment, the alignment level of knowledge content of the topic, the balance of the knowledge content distribution and the alignment level of cognitive.The third part of the study consists of the characteristics analysis in the alignment between papers college entrance examination of physics and content standard. The overall Characteristics of the alignment level between papers and content standard was analyzed; then the analysis of alignment level were respectively conducted in the background and area of the curriculum reform, the type of selected test module.The main conclusions of this study as follow:(1)Generally, there is not a statistically significant alignment between college entrance examination of physics and content standard. All alignment indices between77papers of college entrance examination of physics and content standard are lower than the corresponding critical values. Basing on the compare of the curved surface representation with the distribution of knowledge and cognitive level, the results show that there is apparent difference.(2)As a whole, the alignment level at the aspect of knowledge content between college entrance examination of physics and curriculum standard is low. Relative to content standard, the papers of college entrance examination of physics increased the examination of the Core-required modules and Optional3-1of the test. In terms of content topics of knowledge, all types of papers increased the examination of "description of motion","interaction and motion laws","circuit" and "electric field"; majority of papers increased the examination of "mechanical energy and energy""motion of projectile and circular"; the frequency of examination of "achievements and limitations of classical mechanics" in the papers was lower than in the content standard. The papers have reduced the degree of examination of the contents of Optional3-3, Optional3-4and Optional3-5than content standard, except the topic of "collision and conservation of momentum". Only few papers involve with the content of "energy and sustainable development","relativity","electromagnetic oscillation and electromagnetic wave","wave-particle dualism". The examination of the Core-required modules focus on linear motion with uniform variable, Newton’s laws of motion, synthesis and decomposition of force, uniform circular motion, centripetal force, The kinetic energy, The law of conservation of mechanical energy, The law of universal gravitation and so on. The worst balance of knowledge content topic is the examination of "achievements and limitations of classical mechanics", the balance of "projectile motion and circular motion" and "description of motion" is relatively better. The knowledge content examinated in higher frequency in the electrical part of Optional3-1and Optional3-2include common electrical components, Ohm’s law, electric field, electric field intensity, magnetic field, magnetic induction, Ampere force, Lorentz force, Lenz’s law, Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction and so on. The tests of Optional3-3focus on experimental laws of gas, internal energy, temperature, First law of thermodynamics and so on. The tests of Optional3-4focus on formation and propagation of transverse wave, relation of wave velocity, wave length and frequency, total reflection and the refraction of light and so on. The tests of Optional3-5focus on momentum, momentum theorem and the law of conservation of momentum, radioactive, nuclear reaction equation and so on. The balance of examined knowledge content of "collision and conservation of momentum" is batter than others; the balance of examined knowledge content of "nucleus" and "wave-particle duality" are relatively worse.(3) Generally, the alignment level at the aspect of cognitive level between the papers and the content standard is low. There are more knowledge contents of "understand" and "apply", less contents of "know" in the papers of last six years than the curriculum standard. There is better alignment level at the aspect of "realize" between the papers and the content standard.(4) The alignment level between the new samples of papers (corresponding with new curriculum standard) and the content standard is higher than the alignment level between old samples of papers (corresponding with syllabus of teaching) and the content standard. At the aspect of examining the content of knowledge of Core-required modules, Optional3-1and Optional3-2, there is no obvious difference of the alignment level between the papers and content standard. While there is obvious difference for the last three modules between the papers and content standard; the new samples of papers examine less content of knowledge of "collision and conservation of momentum", and more "solid, gas and liquid","laws of thermodynamics and conservation of momentum","electromagnetic oscillation and electromagnetic wave","relativity","atomic nucleus" and "wave-particle dualism" than old samples of papers.(5) The alignment level between the papers and content standard in different province is analyzed. The results as follow: the alignment level of Hainan province is highest, followed by Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Chongqing. At the aspect of examining knowledge content of Core-required modules, Optional3-1and Optional3-2, there is less difference for every province in the alignment level between the papers and content standard; and there is obvious difference for the last three modules between the papers and content standard. The papers of Zhejiang and Anhui province don’t refer to the content of Optional3-3; the papers of Guangdong province doesn’t refer to the content of Optional3-4; the papers of Shandong, Hainan and Fujian province don’t refer to the contents of Optional3-4.(6) The alignment level between the papers of six types on the basis of the different selected modules and content standard is analyzed. The results as follow:the distribution balance of knowledge content of Optional3-3in content standard is better than Optional3-4and Optional3-5. Accordingly, the alignment level for the papers involved contents of Optional3-3or the contents of Optional3-3and Optional3-4(or Optional3-5) are higher than others.The study has great significance for riching and inspecting the theory of alignment between examination and curriculum standard; while the results can provide some references for reform of basic education, the system and knowledge content of college entrance examination and emending curriculum standard.