Analyzing problem solving in secondary physics education: A rubric-guided approach to explore individual learning needs

This study examines how the Minnesota Assessment of Problem-Solving rubric can be used to diagnose learning needs in secondary physics education. In total, 51 students (grades 9 and 11) from 5 German secondary schools solved a physics problem-solving task and completed an energy concept test. Rubric-guided analysis of their written problem solutions revealed seven characteristic performance patterns, ranging from expertlike reasoning to incomplete or failed approaches. While students generally managed descriptions and basic calculations, many struggled to apply the conservation principle and to structure their reasoning coherently. The combination of rubric scores with conceptual test results highlighted whether difficulties stemmed from missing knowledge or from challenges in applying it. These findings demonstrate that this combination of assessment tools, adapted to the secondary level, offers a practical approach for formative assessment and targeted support in physics problem solving. However, difficulties arise when students submit incomplete problem solutions. Future developments could focus on atomized approaches or the integration of AI technologies for automatic assessment.