Abstract:

Developing assessment or self-assessment tests addressing interdisciplinary studies is a rather complex task, since the educational qualifications of teachers and learners, as well as the learning outcomes expected and the pedagogical approaches used, are far from homogeneous.
In conservation science – a subject area combining advanced physicochemical notions to a sound historic/artistic understanding – students have a priori the indispensable basic scientific knowledge, as defined in the frame of the Dublin/Budapest descriptors and the Eurobachelor® requirements. Nevertheless, there are considerable variations in the depth of their analytical/instrumental skills, theoretical understanding of experimental procedures, and acquaintance with humanistic issues. Therefore, discrepancies in both educational experiences and pedagogical concepts are a first main characteristic of the discipline.
Having different academic backgrounds largely results in respecting distinct learning models and revealing diversified approaches to problems. Consequently, a specific method for knowledge representation, enabling all necessary forms of knowledge to be recorded, is required for conceiving tests that take into account the divergent characteristics of student groups involved.
The challenge is addressed in the frame of the project Valorisation of EChemTest Testing Centres (Lifelong Learning Programme, European Commission). EChemTest is a computer-based multilingual test of European standard, permitting evaluation of knowledge and skills in chemistry at levels corresponding to the end of compulsory education; the beginning of university studies; the completion of the core chemistry syllabus in analytical, biological, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry; and the closing stages of master’s curricula in synthetic and computational chemistry, and chemistry applied in conservation science. Obeying standard or more sophisticated types and divided in topics, questions are classified in three levels of difficulty, according to the suggestion of experts.
A library of 150 representative questions on colorants has been authored, bearing 50 questions at each level. For investigating how far the difficulty level set by the experts for each question actually corresponds to the response of student groups with different backgrounds, an item analysis according to the classical test theory was conducted.
The test was evaluated as to the classification, and the overall response of diverse students taking the examinations, in order to serve as a model for developing tests supporting chemistry-related interdisciplinary studies.

Keywords:

Electronic tests, on-line assesment, interdisciplinary studies, conservation science.