Measurement of students´ understanding in final examination of Statics and Dynamics Course using Rasch Measurement Model

Measurements on students´ understanding in the fundamental courses of Civil & Structural Engineering Program is an important step in determining the level of student achievement before they can proceed to advanced courses. Hence, this paper presents the level of students´ understanding in the examination of the fundamental courses at the Department of Civil & Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The Statics and Dynamics course (KH 1044) was choose and offered as a main course for the first year students in the department. The students´ understanding was only analyzed based on their achievement in the final examination, as through examination students´ comprehension can be measured directly. The measurement and assessment on students´ understanding were developed through Rasch Measurement Model based on students mark entries in the final examination of session 2012/2013. The results show that the Rasch Model can accurately segregate the students based on their understandings and abilities even with a small group of sample. The questions used were also proven to be acceptable and reliable in measuring the students´ understanding towards the course.