Questions for an Abstraction Test
Dear Colleague,

We are hoping to construct a test that measures students’ ability to use abstraction in problem solving situations in Computer Science and Software Engineering (which is substantially different from that evaluated in Psychometric tests).

We would very much appreciate your help and feedback.  
 
As a starting point we have formulated a set of 8 question patterns that might serve as a means to teach and test abstraction (please see below).
For each pattern, please could you:
1. rank it on a 1-10 scale according to your estimation regarding its suitability for measuring abstraction skills.  
2. describe what specific abstraction skills you believe it measures.  
3. suggest an example which best fits the pattern.

Please let us know if you have any further questions, suggestions or comments.

We intend to share our progress with all those that contribute, but would not want to swamp your mail. Please let us know if you wish to get updates.  

Thanks very much for your cooperation.  
Jeff Kramer, Imperial College London
Orit Hazzan, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
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Pattern 1: Given several representations of a specific system, students are asked to rank them according to their level of abstraction and to consider the purpose of each abstraction.
Example: The following four representations describe the same system. Rank them according to their abstraction level. Explain your ranking and indicate the purpose of each abstraction.  
A. A textual overview of a system that reflects a high level of abstraction
B. A detailed drawing of the same system that reflects a lower level of abstraction  
C. A class diagram
D. A sequence diagram.
                   
 Pattern 1 is suitable for measuring abstraction skills:
Not at all
Perfect
Clear selection
What specific abstraction skills does Pattern 1 measure?  
Can you suggest an example which best fits Pattern 1?
Any additional comments on Pattern 1?
Pattern 2: Categorization of a collection of representations of different systems according to the student's choice of abstraction, with an explanation of the rationale for the chosen categorization.
Example: Given are ten representations of three systems. Group these representations in at least two ways and explain the rationale for your groups.
 Pattern 2 is suitable for measuring abstraction skills:
Not at all
Perfect
Clear selection
What specific abstraction skills does Pattern 2 measure?  
Can you suggest an example which best fits Pattern 2?
Any additional comments on Pattern 2?
Pattern 3: Description of a specific system, with which the students are familiar, at different levels and/or forms of abstraction together with a request to explain the purpose and suitability (advantages and limitations) of each description.
Example: Describe your cell phone using at least four levels and/or forms of abstraction. Outline the main considerations that guided you in the formulation of these descriptions, indicating the suitability (advantages and limitations) of each.  

 Pattern 3 is suitable for measuring abstraction skills:
Not at all
Perfect
Clear selection
What specific abstraction skills does Pattern 3 measure?  
Can you suggest an example which best fits Pattern 3?
Any additional comments on Pattern 3?
Pattern 4: Given a system representation, students are asked to give one representation that is more abstract and one representation that is less abstract than the given one, and to explain in each case the purpose of abstraction.  
Example: The following representation describes a cell phone. Describe it in two additional ways: one that describes it in terms of a higher level of abstraction and one that describes it in terms of a lower level of abstraction. What purpose does each description serve?
 Pattern 4 is suitable for measuring abstraction skills:
Not at all
Perfect
Clear selection
What specific abstraction skills does Pattern 4 measure?  
Can you suggest an example which best fits Pattern 4?
Any additional comments on Pattern 4?
Pattern 5: Students are asked to explain some topic X (a system, a machine, and so on) to someone else. They are asked to describe how they would explain X in two cases: when the person they are explaining it to is able to see X and when he or she cannot see X. They are also asked to explain the considerations that guided the formulation of each description and how these formulations relate to different levels of abstraction.  
 Pattern 5 is suitable for measuring abstraction skills:
Not at all
Perfect
Clear selection
What specific abstraction skills does Pattern 5 measure?  
Can you suggest an example which best fits Pattern 5?
Any additional comments on Pattern 5?
Pattern 6: Students are asked to reason about some topic X (a system, a machine, and so on) so as to convince another that it fulfils some property. Students are also asked to explain their considerations in choosing their form of abstraction and reasoning.
 Pattern 6 is suitable for measuring abstraction skills:
Not at all
Perfect
Clear selection
What specific abstraction skills does Pattern 6 measure?  
Can you suggest an example which best fits Pattern 6?
Any additional comments on Pattern 6?
Pattern 7: Students are asked to suggest a metaphor or analogy for a given system they are developing now or have developed. They are asked also to lay out the advantages and limitations of their metaphor/analogy.
 Pattern 7 is suitable for measuring abstraction skills:
Not at all
Perfect
Clear selection
What specific abstraction skills does Pattern 7 measure?  
Can you suggest an example which best fits Pattern 7?
Any additional comments on Pattern 7?
Pattern 8: Reflect on the last software that you developed. If you had to repeat the task, would you do it in the same way? What steps would you repeat? What changes would you make? Why?
 Pattern 8 is suitable for measuring abstraction skills:
Not at all
Perfect
Clear selection
What specific abstraction skills does Pattern 8 measure?  
Can you suggest an example which best fits Pattern 8?
Any additional comments on Pattern 8?
Summary Questions
We would like to thank you very much for your contribution and for taking the time to complete the questionnaire. The following optional questions will help us with the data analysis.  
I teach at (more than one option can be checked):
Years of teaching experience:
Clear selection
 I teach (more than one option can be checked):
The courses I teach are:
If you are not involved in teaching, please briefly describe your background and experience:
Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the questions presented above (change of formulation, other kinds of questions, etc)?
If you are interested in hearing the survey results, please leave your name:
and email:
Thank you very much for your cooperation,
Jeff Kramer and Orit Hazzan
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