
Evidence from an example hinge-point question
A teacher gave the above circuit diagram to her class.
The circuit diagram shows a battery with two bulbs connected to the battery in parallel, in one case with a switch between the bulb and the battery. The teacher asks this hinge-point question:
When the switch is closed, which bulb or bulbs will be lit (or not lit)?
A. Bulb 1
B. Bulb 2
C. Neither bulb
D. Both bulbs
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What would these different answers, if given, tell you about what a student knows, partly knows or doesn’t know?
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What would be your next steps, depending on the mix of answers given by a group of students?
Make a brief note in response to each of these two questions before moving on to the next step in the course.
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