This research aimed at developing a methodological framework to investigate the alignment of the Lebanese national math exam tests with the curriculum at the middle school level, during the transitory period of a major curricular reform. The focus is on exploring the characteristics of an ''assessment culture'' set by the national exams during the long life of the old curriculum.A framework for analyzing non-objective type tests is developed and piloted. The study considered a sample of 3 model tests reflecting the analyzed curriculum, and 11 official exam tests administered over the last 6 years of its life. The 2 sets of exams were analyzed and compared.It was found that the official tests have a stable structure in format and in content, and involve a limited set of topics that determine a ''mini-curriculum''. The results showed discrepancies between the official and the model tests, indicating lack of alignment.

This study attempted to investigate the alternative conceptions that a group of 12 Lebanese students in a grade 9 class hold about electricity. It also attempted to evaluate learning outcomes of implementing in that class an inquiry-based module for the acquisition of conceptual understanding of basic concepts in electricity. Fourteen mostly subjective tests were administered throughout the implementation phase of the inquiry-based module to assess the evolution of participants_ conceptions. The instrument DIRECT (Version 1.0) focusing on conceptual understanding was used as a postinstructional test to measure acquisition of understanding. The findings revealed that most of the alternative conceptions reported in literature were found amongst the participants. Results of the post-testing showed that the implemented inquiry-based approach was successful in enhancing participants_ conceptual understanding of the targeted DC circuit concepts.

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