Interplay of Various Methodologies is Good for Identifying Cultures of Physics Education

Abstract

In this Reply to the Letter to the Editor, it is emphasized that scientific inquiry requires a cyclic interplay of quantitative and qualitative methods. Furthermore, it is stressed out that the results of the predominantly quantitative study could be a basis for designing detailed qualitative studies of country-specific cultures of physics education. The overlooked fact that students from Slovenia were not taught about two topics related to ‘Electricity and magnetism’, did not compromise the results of differential item functioning/differential group functioning procedures, at all. The big majority of conclusions related to causes of students' differential achievement profiles were not affected either.

Keywords:

• Culture of physics education
• TIMSS
• Differential item functioning