Work

Development and Validation of the Evolutionary Misconception Test for Diagnosing Evolutionary Misconceptions Among Senior Secondary School Students

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Accurate identification of students' evolutionary misconceptions remains a major challenge in biology education because conventional assessments often fail to reveal the reasoning underlying students' responses. This study developed the Evolutionary Misconception Test (EMT) and established psychometric evidence for its use as a two-tier diagnostic instrument for assessing evolutionary conceptual difficulties among senior secondary school students. A multi-phase instrument development and validation design involving misconception identification, item development, expert review, pilot testing, and field validation was employed. An initial pool of 45 two-tier multiple-choice items was developed from the literature, curriculum content, biology textbooks, and documented student misconceptions. Following expert review and item analysis, 30 items covering six evolutionary concepts were retained. The final EMT was administered to 200 Senior Secondary II Biology students in Zamfara State, Nigeria. Data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, item analysis, and Kuder–Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20) reliability estimation. Results provided evidence of satisfactory construct validity (KMO = 0.841; Bartlett's χ²(435) = 2768.21, p < .001), a one-factor structure explaining 39.21% of the variance, factor loadings ranging from 0.42 to 0.76, and satisfactory internal consistency reliability (KR-20 = 0.84). The EMT also identified persistent misconceptions, particularly in natural selection and adaptation. These findings indicate that the EMT is a valid and reliable diagnostic instrument for identifying students' evolutionary misconceptions and supporting conceptual change instruction, while further validation with larger and more diverse samples is recommended.

Source: International Journal of Assessment and Evaluation in Education

DOI: 10.70382/mejaee.v13i8.0150

Authors: MUJIDAT OLATUNBOSUN LUKMAN, AKILU ISMA'IL

Institution: Federal University Gusau

Language: English

Topic: Science Education and Pedagogy

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Texas Emerging Technology Fund, Tertiary Education Trust Fund