Development and Validation of Chemistry Virtual Test Based Multiple Representations

Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn) Vol.12, No.1, February 2018, pp. 44~51 ISSN: 2089-9823, DOI: 10.11591/edulearn.v12i1.6963  44 Development and Validation of Chemistry Virtual Test Based Multiple Representations Nahadi1*, Harry Firman2, Hendri Kurniadi3 1,2 Department of Chemistry Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia 3 SMK Terpadu Al-Itihad Cianjur, Indonesia Article Info ABSTRACT Article history: The purpose of this study was developing and validation virtual test based multiple representations to facilitate students to understand the questions that assess students’ decision-making competence of buffer solution. This research was conducted using the method development and validation. The participants were 136 high school students who take science class. Data obtained were content validity, reliability, item difficulty index, discrimination index and readability of virtual test that has developed. This study also compared the item difficulty and readability between virtual test and paper and pencil test. The results showed that the virtual test had CVI’s value was 0.71, the Cronbach's Alpha value was 0.925 which was showed that the reliability with included in “very good” category, the item difficulty index was moderate categories and the readability of virtual test was higher than paper and pencil test. It could be concluded that the virtual test that had developed was feasible to use and could facilitate students in understanding the questions that assess students’ decision-making competence of buffer solution. Received Aug 7, 2017 Revised Dec 12, 2017 Accepted Jan 21, 2018 Keywords: Buffer solution Decision-making competence Development Validation Virtual test Copyright © 201x Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved. Corresponding Author: Nahadi, Department of Chemistry Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudi 229 Bandung, Indonesia. Email: 1. INTRODUCTION National Exam is standard evaluation of primary and secondary education nationally and this is to equal the quality of education levels among regions that conducted by the Centre for Educational Assessment, Ministry of National Education in Indonesia, with the aim to provide guidance and assistance to the education unit in its efforts to improve the quality of education. One of which must be evaluated from the National Exam is that the quality of questions used, which the quality of the National Exam have to meet validity and reliability. The chemistry item test on National Exam has not been able to measure the ability of high order thinking skills (HOTS). Preliminary study results showed that only six items (15%) were categorized at analysis level (C4), 22.5% on memorizing (C1), understanding (C2), and 35% on application level (C3) [1]. In 2015, 555 schools carried out National Exam with Computer-Based, consisting of 42 Junior High Schools, 135 Senior High Schools and 378 Vocational Schools in 29 provinces and Foreign Affairs. Based on the phenomenon that has been described, the test only measure the ability of low order thinking skills (LOTS) and multiple chemical representation media used in Paper Based Test (PBT) can not be shown in their entirety [2]. Study results also showed that the characteristic of the HOTS item test on National Exam for High School Rayon B Year 2012/2013 was the stimulus, with the form of the stimulus in National Exam were Journal homepage: http://journal.uad.ac.id/index.php/EduLearn EduLearn ISSN: 2089-9823  45 pictures/graphs/charts (15%), table (15%), symbols/formula/chemical equations (47.5%), samples (22.5%), and a fragment of cases (32.5%). The research results prove that item test on National Exam need to be revisited in order to measure the HOTS. The item test that measure the high order thinking skills make participants to be able to think logically, critically and analytically. One high order thinking skills is the ability of decision-making [3]. Decision making is the process of thinking to identify and decide the choice of various options. The ability of decision-making is one aspect of Graduate Competency Standards on the curriculum in 2013. Making the right decision can be made if the student is able to understand the concept as a whole. Students are said to understand the chemical concepts thoroughly and deeply if the student is able to connect the three levels of the chemical representation (macroscopic, sub-microscopic and symbolic) [4], [5]. Representation level macroscopically obtained through observation using five senses, symbolic knowledge denotes symbols and equations of reactions and submicroscopic knowledge includes the representation of atoms, molecules, and ions using image or molecular model [6]. However, in fact student can’t connect chemical representation. Buffer solution is concepts that need to be observed. The concept can also be explained in various forms of representation that can visualize these materials so that students are expected to observe the symptoms that occur, analyze and make the conclusions [7]. On the other hand, science and technology has brought its own impact to the world of education and also support the success of education. In the field of education, the use of computers is necessary to facilitate complex educational activities as well as in assessing students. Competency assessment has shifted toward the use of computer-based procedures [8]-[10]. The use of computer technology to assess students provides some benefits, In general, the implementation of the CBT system can saving time, reducing the burden of teachers, the assessment results are also faster and can be reducing the possible fraud of students during the exam [11]-[15]. The results of its assessment is more valid, more interactive and its assessment can be more contextual [16]. In addition, the results of test can be directly known and may indicate a student's weaknesses, so as to provide immediate feedback [17]. The computer is a medium of instruction to visualize different facts, skills, concepts and computer also displays images that move in accordance with its requirements [18]. Van Merrienboer said that importance to use a computer as an assessment and instructional tool, since the tool can simulate real-world problems, which are ill-structured and complex in nature [19]. Besides assessment by Computer Based Test, has advantages which the tests can explore the computer so that the test form with multimedia can be images, text, graphics, animation, video and others. One of the computer based test that has been and should be developed further is a virtual test. Virtual test is a test form using software that can be carried out both online and offline. From the above definition, it can be concluded that the virtual test is a form of testing by using multimedia computer such as images, text, graphics, diagrams, animations, and video. Mushonev states that the use of vis (...truncated)