Four Steps to Solving the Student Misconception Problem

Abstract

There is no greater frustration than reading a student’s exam answer and realising that they totally and completely got the wrong end of the stick. Maybe that student was daydreaming during that class or suffered exam-anxiety brain blank. It’s even worse, however, if the student’s mistake reveals a misconception that is shared across much of the class. How can you tell whether you have a single student error, or a systemic problem? Here’s a quick guide.