Author Information
Andrea Fusari, Politecnico di Milano, ItalyMatteo Bozzi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Roberto Virzi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Marco Costigliolo, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Gwenaëlle Guillerme, T.I.M.E. Association, France
Maurizio Zani, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Abstract
This study examines the psychometric properties of a multiple-choice physics questionnaire using the framework of Classical Test Theory (CTT), with the aim of validating individual items and contributing to the development of a reliable item bank for research and assessment. The instrument was designed to investigate students’ conceptual understanding of fundamental physics topics and to identify common misconceptions or conceptual errors that may persist after formal instruction. The questionnaire is being developed within the T.I.M.E. project by Politecnico di Milano in collaboration with Doshisha University, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, and the University of Trento. The dataset includes responses from approximately 1,000 university students enrolled in engineering and science programs. This internationally diverse sample includes students from Italian, Japanese, and Russian institutions, enabling the analysis of response patterns across different educational contexts and exploring how prior schooling systems influence the persistence of physics misconceptions. Item analysis was conducted using standard CTT indicators, including item difficulty, discrimination indices, and distractor functioning. Particular attention was devoted to distractor performance to identify functional alternatives that capture specific incorrect reasoning patterns. Results indicate that ten of the twelve analyzed items include effective distractors and are well-constructed, while two items exhibit weak distractors that may require revision. These results represent a first step toward the construction of an updated international physics item bank, which could support both formative and summative assessment and enable comparative studies of physics learning across different educational systems.
Paper Information
Conference: PCE2026Stream: Teaching Experiences
This paper is part of the PCE2026 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Fusari A., Bozzi M., Virzi R., Costigliolo M., Guillerme G., & Zani M. (2026) Validation of a Multiple-Choice Physics Test Using Classical Test Theory: Toward a More Up-to-Date International Item Database ISSN: 2758-0962 The Paris Conference on Education 2026: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 757-772) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2026.57
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2026.57
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