Marietjie Potgieter|Bette Davidowitz|Elsie Venter
Assessment of preparedness of first-year chemistry students: development and application of an instrument for diagnostic and placement purposes
University of Pretoria|University of Cape Town|University of Pretoria
many universities south africa use alternative admissions tests together results grade 12 examinations access placement tests focus academic literacy mathematical skills provide information proficiencies disciplines mathematics implementation new curriculum grades 1012 south africa generates need monitor preparedness firstyear students align firstyear curricula closely possible content new syllabi need tailormade instrument assess preparedness chemistry tertiary level prompted lack suitable tests appropriate focus depth coverage application south african context paper describes development evaluation test instrument designed assess monitor baseline conceptual understanding chemistry secondarytertiary interface study carried mainstream students universities pretoria cape town n 513 258 respectively data analysed using rasch statistical method confirmed majority students cohorts reasonably well prepared chemistry tertiary level use instrument diagnostic purposes demonstrated possible identify gaps assumed preknowledge students qualified admission chemistry tertiary level respective institutions inadequate preknowledge noticeable areas chemical reactions electrochemistry addition instrument also shows promise placement tool within programmes particular institution ie either mainstream academic development programmes predictive ability compares well nonsouth african placement tests grade 12 mathematics performance latter widely used purpose south africa