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Abstract An investigation of the gender gap in engineering students’ understanding of Newtonian physics has been done. The results indicate a noticeable gender gap, in addition to an effect due to differences in preparation, i.e. physics courses in secondary school. The gender gap after university instruction decreases in the case of a higher degree of preparation, while the gender gap is unchanged or widens for students with a lower degree of preparation after university instruction.

A Chemistry concept inventory has been developed for assessing students learning and identifying the alternative conceptions that students may have in general chemistry. The conceptions in question are assumed to be mainly learned in school and to a less degree in student’s daily life. The inventory therefore aims at functioning as a tool for adjusting teaching practices in chemistry. The concept inventory presented here is mainly aimed at assessing students learning during general chemistry courses. The inventory has been administered and evaluated using statistical tests, focusing on both item analysis and on the entire test. The results indicate that the concept inventory is a reliable and discriminating tool in the present context.