Development and Preliminary Validation of a Problem-Based Learning–Oriented Science Assessment Instrument on Changes in the State of Matter for Grade 4 Students

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a Problem-Based Learning (PBL)-oriented science assessment instrument on the topic of changes in the state of matter for Grade 4 elementary-school students, with preliminary evidence of content validity, reliability, item quality, and practicality. The study employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the ADDIE model, comprising the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation phases. The needs analysis was conducted through observation and interviews, while the initial instrument consisted of 20 items, including 15 contextual multiple-choice questions and five short constructed-response items targeting cognitive processes at the C3–C5 levels. Content validation was conducted by five experts representing the fields of science/elementary education, language, and educational assessment. A small-scale pilot test involved 29 Grade 4 students at SDN 19 Langga Payung. Expert appraisal yielded an overall validation score of 93.5%, with Aiken’s V coefficients ranging from 0.83 to 0.96 (M = 0.90). The reliability of the 15 multiple-choice items was KR-20 = 0.84, while the overall internal consistency was Cronbach’s α = 0.86. Item-difficulty indices ranged from 0.36 to 0.82 (M = 0.63), item-discrimination indices ranged from 0.28 to 0.64, corrected item–total correlations ranged from 0.31 to 0.67, and 91.1% of the distractors functioned effectively. The practicality score reached 80% based on the teacher’s response and 91.26% based on the students’ responses, while the mean student achievement score following implementation was 81. Because the study did not include a pretest or comparison group, this score was interpreted as student achievement following implementation, rather than as causal evidence of the instrument’s effectiveness.