ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Disequilibrium: An Instructional Coach's Reflection
Author: Butler, Melinda S.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reflection,Coaching (Performance),Literacy Education,Reading Instruction,Disadvantaged Schools,Educationally Disadvantaged,Minority Group Children,Independent Reading,Teaching Methods,Reading Achievement,Literacy,Grade 4,Elementary School Students,Group Discussion,Picture Books,Reading Improvement,Reading Motivation,Reading Teachers

When Debbie Miller, educational consultant and author of &quot;Reading with Meaning&quot; (2013) and &quot;Teaching with Intention&quot; (2008) visited a Title I elementary school in Texas, the instructional reading coach was challenged in her thinking about best practices for independent reading. Ms. Miller's visit included modeling interactive read alouds and conducting one-to-one reading conferences during independent reading. Additionally, Ms. Miller, the classroom teachers, and the instructional reading coaches discussed the practice of managed choice of texts during independent reading (e.g., restricting student choice to the genre used during the interactive read aloud). As a result of Ms. Miller's visits, the instructional coaches and the teachers thoughtfully and intentionally changed their teaching practices.
Summer Reading Lists: Research and Recommendations
Author: Lindley, Sarah
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Summer Programs,Reading Materials,Books,Grade 8,Maintenance,Reading Skills,Reading Motivation,Middle School Students,Reading Material Selection

Decades of research have focused on the impact of summer learning loss and effective tools in stemming the flow of knowledge lost during summer break. While reading lists have become a standard practice for addressing students' needs to maintain learning levels over the summer months, very little research has been conducted on the book lists themselves. This study examined the books chosen for the summer reading lists for rising eighth graders in a single district. Several variables, including reading level, word count, interest level, author gender, category, and publication date were investigated. The findings suggest that the reading lists are quite varied, possibly as a result of each school's purpose or area of focus when compiling their individual lists. Recommendations for creating quality book lists for any grade level are provided.
Building Cognitive Reading Fluency through &quot;Tagging&quot; for Metacognition
Author: Durham, Patricia
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Instruction,Reading Skills,Metacognition,Reading Fluency,Cognitive Processes,Instructional Effectiveness,Grade 4,Elementary School Students,Attitude Measures,Reading Attitudes,Surveys,Student Attitudes,Reading Motivation,Measures (Individuals),Teaching Methods

This study examined how purposely exposing students to types of &quot;tagging&quot; opportunities for metacognitive reading skills strengthened cognitive reading fluency, or the fluidity and awareness of thinking, applying, and reflecting on their critical reading skills. Additionally, another purpose was to uncover if becoming metacognitively aware of these moments increased reading motivation. The study found that purposely exposing students to a variety of tagging options for metacognitive reading skills did have a positive impact on their motivation to read and for increasing cognitive reading fluency. The more students tagged and &quot;criss-crossed&quot; their experiences, the more cognitively fluent the students appeared as they used these responses more freely and authentically to build a literacy conversation.
Investigating Differences in Examinee Performance between Computer-Based and Handwritten Essays. Research Report. ETS RR-04-18
Author: Yu, Lei
Date: 2004-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Essays,Writing (Composition),Computer Assisted Testing,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Preservice Teachers,Scores,Statistical Analysis,Writing Tests,Comparative Analysis,Probability,Student Characteristics,Regression (Statistics)

This study compared essay scores from paper-based and computer-based versions of a writing test for prospective teachers. Scores for essays in the paper-based version averaged nearly half a standard deviation higher than those in the computer-based version, after applying a statistical control for demographic differences between the groups of examinees taking the two versions. The statistical control was implemented by means of a propensity score, applying weights to members of one group to match the propensity score distribution of the other group. The score difference between the groups did not change substantially when the analysis was restricted to examinees taking the same mix of essay topics or to examinees taking one particular essay.
The Biographical Inventory in Naval Aviation Selection: Inside the Black Box. Research Report. RR-04-08
Author: Stricker, Lawrence J.
Date: 2004-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Biographical Inventories,Military Training,Aviation Education,School Holding Power,Student Attrition,Factor Analysis,Construct Validity,Test Validity,Correlation

A biographical inventory has been used in the selection of students for naval aviation training since World War II, and its validity in predicting their retention-attrition in this training has been well established. This study investigated the constructs underlying the inventory and their relations to students' retention-attrition. A factor analysis of the items on the inventory for student pilots identified five factors. One factor, being a commissioned officer, appeared to account for the inventory's validity.
Reliability of Speeded Number-Right Multiple-Choice Tests. Research Report. RR-04-15
Author: Attali, Yigal
Date: 2004-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Multiple Choice Tests,Timed Tests,Test Reliability,Guessing (Tests),Simulation,Test Items

Contrary to common belief, reliability estimates of number-right multiple-choice tests are not inflated by speededness. Because examinees guess on questions when they run out of time, the responses to these questions show less consistency with the responses of other questions, and the reliability of the test will be decreased. The surprising implication is that adding questions to a multiple-choice test may lower its reliability when the test is speeded. This paper develops the mathematical derivations and shows the effects of speededness on reliability in simulations.
Joint and Conditional Maximum Likelihood Estimation for the Rasch Model for Binary Responses. Research Report. RR-04-20
Author: Haberman, Shelby J.
Date: 2004-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Maximum Likelihood Statistics,Computation,Item Response Theory,Testing,Test Items,Reliability,Prediction

The usefulness of joint and conditional maximum-likelihood is considered for the Rasch model under realistic testing conditions in which the number of examinees is very large and the number is items is relatively large. Conditions for consistency and asymptotic normality are explored, effects of model error are investigated, measures of prediction are estimated, and generalized residuals are developed.
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Bias-Reduction Training: Impact on Assessors' Awareness. Research Report. ETS RR-04-12
Author: Wylie, E. Caroline
Date: 2004-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Standards,Bias,Training,Evaluators,Program Effectiveness,Scoring,Teacher Evaluation,Essays

This study is an in-depth investigation of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) bias-reduction training, from the perspective of assessors. The research examined how successful the bias training was in guiding assessors to recognize their biases and to identify actions to be used to reduce the impact of bias on their scoring decisions. The study focused on portfolio video entries to allow for a greater exploration of bias, since assessors are provided with a visual and aural depiction of the candidates and their students.
Statistical and Measurement Properties of Features Used in Essay Assessment. Research Report. ETS RR-04-21
Author: Haberman, Shelby J.
Date: 2004-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Language Tests,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Business Administration Education,Business Schools,College Entrance Examinations,Graduate Study,Writing Tests,Essay Tests,Statistics,Measurement,Scores,Test Items

Statistical and measurement properties are examined for features used in essay assessment to determine the generalizability of the features across populations, prompts, and individuals. Data are employed from TOEFL® and GMAT® examinations and from writing for Criterion?.
TOEIC®/LPI Relationships in Academic and Employment Contexts in Thailand. Research Report. ETS RR-04-16
Author: Wilson, Kenneth M.
Date: 2004-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Language Tests,Second Language Learning,Language Proficiency,Thai,Native Speakers,Correlation,Foreign Countries,Listening Comprehension,Scores,Oral Language,Gender Differences,College Students,Regression (Statistics),Self Evaluation (Individuals),Trend Analysis

The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC®) is an ETS-developed measure of proficiency in English as a second language (ESL) or foreign language (EFL), designed to assess aspects of English language listening comprehension (LC) and reading comprehension (RC). In general samples of native speakers of Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, and Arabic, respectively, scores on the TOEIC have been found to be strongly related to performance on the Language Proficiency Interview (LPI) procedure, a widely recognized direct measure of speaking proficiency. In this exploratory study, TOEIC/LPI relationships in subgroups (e.g., by gender, educational level, organizational setting at time of assessment) were assessed within a general national/linguistic sample--native speakers of Thai who are involved in operational assessments under the aegis of the TOEIC representative agency in Thailand, the Center for Professional Assessment. Observed relationships were relatively strong and positive in the total sample and within each of the subgroups studied. Observed coefficients were noticeably larger in subgroups of females than in corresponding subgroups of males and for a sample of university students than for examinees tested in places of employment. Means of observed LPI rating for the respective subgroups were consistent with expectations based on TOEIC scores. Further research is needed to assess the extent to which the subgroup findings may tend to be generalizable in the Center (Thailand) context or elsewhere.
A Comparison of Two Models for Cognitive Diagnosis. Research Report. ETS RR-04-02
Author: Yan, Duanli
Date: 2004-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Comparative Analysis,Models,Bayesian Statistics,Statistical Inference,Networks,Item Response Theory,Measurement Techniques,Psychometrics,Cognitive Tests,Subtraction,Mathematics Tests,Problem Solving,Middle School Students

Diagnostic score reports linking assessment outcomes to instructional interventions are one of the most requested features of assessment products. There is a body of interesting work done in the last 20 years including Tatsuoka's rule space method (Tatsuoka, 1983), Haertal and Wiley's binary skills model (Haertal, 1984; Haertal &amp; Wiley, 1993), and Mislevy, Almond, Yan, and Steinberg's Bayesian inference network (Mislevy, Almond, Yan, &amp; Steinberg, 1999). Recent research has resulted in major breakthroughs for the use of a parametric IRT model for performing skills diagnoses. Hartz, Roussos, and Stout (2002) have developed an identifiable and flexible model called the fusion model. This paper compares the fusion model and the Bayesian inference network in the design and analysis of an assessment, including the Q-matrix, and then compares other related models, including rule space, item response theory (IRT), and general multivariate latent class models. The paper also attempts to characterize the kinds of problems for which each type of measurement model is well-suited. A general Bayesian psychometric framework provides common language, making it easier to appreciate the differences. In addition, this paper explores some of the strengths and weaknesses of each approach based on a comparative analysis of a cognitive assessment, the mixed number subtraction data set. In this case, both the fusion model and Bayesian network approaches yield similar performance characteristics and also seem to pick up on different characteristics.
A Graphical Approach to Item Analysis. Research Report. ETS RR-04-10
Author: Livingston, Samuel A.
Date: 2004-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Item Analysis,Computation,Difficulty Level,Test Items,Statistical Analysis,Graphs,Item Response Theory,Sampling,Correlation

This paper describes an approach to item analysis that is based on the estimation of a set of response curves for each item. The response curves show, at a glance, the difficulty and the discriminating power of the item and the popularity of each distractor, at any level of the criterion variable (e.g., total score). The curves are estimated by Gaussian kernel smoothing, a weighted moving average process with a parameter that can be varied at the user's discretion. The response curve for the correct answer can be accompanied by curves indicating a confidence region. The response curves also form the basis for estimating item statistics for any group of examinees for which the distribution of the criterion variable is known.
Automated Tools for Subject Matter Expert Evaluation of Automated Scoring. Research Report. ETS RR-04-14
Author: Williamson, David M.
Date: 2004-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Automation,Scoring,Tests,Classification,Regression (Statistics),Expertise,Validity,Artificial Intelligence

As automated scoring of complex constructed-response examinations reaches operational status, the process of evaluating the quality of resultant scores, particularly in contrast to scores of expert human graders, becomes as complex as the data itself. Using a vignette from the Architectural Registration Examination (ARE), this paper explores the potential utility of classification and regression trees (CART) and Kohonen self-organizing maps (SOM) as tools to facilitate subject matter expert (SME) examination of the fine-grained (feature level) quality of automated scores for complex data, with implications for the validity of the resultant scores. The paper explores both supervised and unsupervised learning techniques, the former being represented by CART (Breiman, Friedman, Olshen, &amp; Stone, 1984) and the latter by SOM (Kohonen, 1989). Three applications comprise this investigation, the first of which suggests that CART can facilitate efficient and economical identification of specific elements of complex solutions that contribute to automated and human score discrepancies. The second application builds on the first by exploring CART's value for efficiently and accurately automating case selection for human intervention to ensure score validity. The final application explores the potential for SOM to reduce the need for SMEs in evaluating automated scoring. While both supervised and unsupervised methodologies examined were found to be promising tools for facilitating SME roles in maintaining and improving the quality of automated scoring, such applications remain unproven and further studies are necessary to establish the reliability of these techniques.
Model Diagnostics for Bayesian Networks. Research Report. ETS RR-04-17
Author: Sinharay, Sandip
Date: 2004-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bayesian Statistics,Networks,Models,Goodness of Fit,Psychometrics,Statistical Analysis,Visual Aids,Comparative Analysis,Data,Test Items,Scores,Test Bias,Correlation,Raw Scores,Statistical Inference,Subtraction,Mathematics Tests

Assessing fit of psychometric models has always been an issue of enormous interest, but there exists no unanimously agreed upon item fit diagnostic for the models. Bayesian networks, frequently used in educational assessments (see, for example, Mislevy, Almond, Yan, &amp; Steinberg, 2001) primarily for learning about students' knowledge and skills, are no exception. This paper employs the &quot;posterior predictive model checking method&quot; (Guttman, 1967; Rubin, 1984), a popular Bayesian model checking tool, to assess fit of simple Bayesian networks. A number of aspects of model fit, those of usual interest to practitioners, are assessed in this paper using various diagnostic tools. The first diagnostic used is direct data display--a visual comparison of the observed data set and a number of the posterior predictive data sets (that are predicted by the model). The second aspect examined here is item fit. Examinees are grouped into a number of equivalence classes, based on the generated values of their skill variables, and the observed and expected proportion correct scores on an item for the classes are combined to provide a ?[superscript 2]-type and a G[superscript 2]-type test statistic for each item. Another (similar) set of ?[superscript 2]-type and G[superscript 2]-type test statistic is obtained by grouping the examinees by their raw scores and then comparing their observed and expected proportion correct scores on an item. This paper also suggests how to obtain posterior predictive p-values, natural candidate p-values from a Bayesian viewpoint, for the ?[superscript 2]-type and G[superscript 2]-type test statistics. The paper further examines the association among the items, especially if the model can explain the odds ratios corresponding to the responses to pairs of items. Finally, in an effort to examine the issue of differential item functioning (DIF), this paper suggests a version of the Mantel-Haenszel statistic (Holland, 1985), which uses &quot;matched groups&quot; based on equivalence classes, as a discrepancy measure with posterior predictive model checking. Limited simulation studies and a real data application examine the effectiveness of the suggested model diagnostics.
Writing Shapes Thinking: Investigative Study of Preservice Teachers Reading, Writing to Learn, and Critical Thinking
Author: Sanchez, Bernice
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Reading,Critical Thinking,Mixed Methods Research,Content Area Writing,Learning,Writing Assignments,Scoring Rubrics,Correlation,Preservice Teacher Education,Student Surveys,Pretests Posttests,Likert Scales

Teacher Preparation Programs must work towards not only preparing preservice teachers to have knowledge of classroom pedagogy but also must expand preservice teachers understanding of content knowledge as well as to develop higher-order thinking which includes thinking critically. This mixed methods study examined how writing shapes thinking and how writing in the content areas can be a tool to promote both critical thinking and learning new content material. This study focused on preservice teachers and utilized structured writing assignment tasks including surveys and rubrics to assess and measure progress throughout the semester. Research questions addressed in this study: 1) Does writing in the content area help preservice teachers learn new material? 2) Does writing in the content area translate to critical thinking for preservice teachers? and 3) If writing shapes thinking, to what degree does it shape critical thinking for preservice teachers? Overall, findings indicate positive correlations between writing to learn and progress towards critical thinking.
Providing Independent Reading Comprehension Strategy Practice through Workstations
Author: Young, Chase
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Independent Reading,Reading Comprehension,Workstations,Action Research,Elementary School Students,Grade 2,Reading Instruction,Reading Strategies,Reading Achievement,Achievement Gains,Instructional Effectiveness

This article describes an action research project undertaken by a second grade teacher looking for research-based ways to increase his students' reading comprehension. He designed fifteen comprehension workstations and evaluated their effect on his second graders' reading comprehension scores as measured by district Imagination Station assessments. Results from the comprehension subtests indicate more than the expected one-year's growth in comprehension. The descriptions of each workstation and the implementation are shared as well as growth in comprehension.
Probability Prediction and Classification. Research Report. RR-04-19
Author: Haberman, Shelby J.
Date: 2004-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Probability,Prediction,Classification,Computation,Statistical Bias,Least Squares Statistics,Responses,Sampling,Criteria

Criteria for prediction of multinomial responses are examined in terms of estimation bias. Logarithmic penalty and least squares are quite similar in behavior but quite different from maximum probability. The differences ultimately reflect deficiencies in the behavior of the criterion of maximum probability.
Comparability of TOEFL CBT Writing Prompts for Different Native Language Groups. TOEFL® Research Reports. RR-77. ETS RR-04-24
Author: Lee, Yong-Won
Date: 2004-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Language Tests,Second Language Learning,Computer Assisted Testing,Writing Tests,Prompting,Native Language,Comparative Analysis,Regression (Statistics),Cues,Language Skills,Chinese,Japanese,Korean,German,French,Spanish,Effect Size,Scores,Reading Tests,Listening Skills,Item Analysis,Item Response Theory,Culture Fair Tests

This study has investigated the comparability of computer-based testing (CBT) writing prompts in the Test of English as a Foreign Language™ (TOEFL®) for examinees of different native language backgrounds. A total of 81 writing prompts introduced from July 1998 through August 2000 were examined using a three-step logistic regression procedure for ordinal items. An English language ability (ELA) variable was created by summing the standardized TOEFL Reading, Listening, and Structure scale scores. This ELA variable was used to match examinees of East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) and European (German, French, and Spanish) language groups. Although about one third of the 81 prompts were initially flagged because of statistically significant group effects, the effect sizes were too small for any of those flagged prompts to be classified as having an important group effect.
Finding the Common Ground: A Comparison of Writing Expectations and Outcomes between the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and the Common Core State Standards
Author: Jacoby, Pat
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Comparative Analysis,Common Core State Standards,Academic Standards,Writing (Composition),State Standards,Differences,Organization,Expectation,Reading Writing Relationship,Writing Processes,Literary Genres,Persuasive Discourse,Inquiry,Research,Technology Uses in Education,Elementary Secondary Education

In the Winter 2013 edition of the &quot;Texas Journal of Literacy Education,&quot; we announced that a special task force from the TALE board would be sharing the common ground among the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). In that first edition, we began part one of our four part series by briefly discussing the history of the CCSS and the creation of the TEKS and the CCRS. Here, in part two of the series, we compare these standards by examining the writing standards of the TEKS and the CCSS.