ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Fixing the c Parameter in the Three-Parameter Logistic Model
Author: Han, Kyung T.
Date: 2012-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Statistical Analysis,Models,Multiple Choice Tests,Guessing (Tests),Problem Solving,Educational Testing,Goodness of Fit,Error of Measurement,Computation,Item Response Theory,Accuracy,Test Items,Difficulty Level

For several decades, the &quot;three-parameter logistic model&quot; (3PLM) has been the dominant choice for practitioners in the field of educational measurement for modeling examinees' response data from multiple-choice (MC) items. Past studies, however, have pointed out that the c-parameter of 3PLM should not be interpreted as a guessing parameter. This study found logical, empirical evidence showing that neither the &quot;a-&quot;, &quot;b-&quot;, or &quot;c-&quot; parameters of 3PLM can accurately reflect the discrimination, difficulty, and guessing properties of an item, respectively. This study reconceptualized the problem-solving and guessing processes with a modification of the 3PLM that eliminates ambiguity in modeling the guessing process. A series of studies using various real and simulated data demonstrated that the suggested model, in which the c-parameters were fixed at a computed probability for successful random guessing (i.e., c = 1 / k with k being the number of options), could provide a more feasible, stable, and accurate item estimation solution without sacrificing the model fit compared with a typical 3PLM. (Contains 15 figures, 4 tables and 1 footnote.)
Defining Authentic Classroom Assessment
Author: Frey, Bruce B.
Date: 2012-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Performance Based Assessment,Educational Research,Elementary Secondary Education,Preschool Children,Professional Education,Student Role,Scoring

A commonly advocated best practice for classroom assessment is to make the assessments authentic. Authentic is often used as meaning the mirroring of real-world tasks or expectations. There is no consensus, however, in the actual definition of the term or the characteristics of an authentic classroom assessment. Sometimes, the realistic component is not even an element of a researcher's or practitioner's meaning. This study presents a conceptual analysis of authentic as it is used in educational research and training to describe an approach to classroom assessment. Nine distinct components or dimensions of authenticity are identified and only one of those is the realistic nature of the assessment. (Contains 2 figures and 3 tables.)
Estimating Ordinal Reliability for Likert-Type and Ordinal Item Response Data: A Conceptual, Empirical, and Practical Guide
Author: Gadermann, Anne M.
Date: 2012-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Likert Scales,Rating Scales,Reliability,Computation,Item Response Theory,Psychometrics,Correlation,Accuracy

This paper provides a conceptual, empirical, and practical guide for estimating ordinal reliability coefficients for ordinal item response data (also referred to as Likert, Likert-type, ordered categorical, or rating scale item responses). Conventionally, reliability coefficients, such as Cronbach's alpha, are calculated using a Pearson correlation matrix. Ordinal reliability coefficients, such as ordinal alpha, use the polychoric correlation matrix (Zumbo, Gadermann, &amp; Zeisser, 2007). This paper presents (i) the theoretical-psychometric rationale for using an ordinal version of coefficient alpha for ordinal data; (ii) a summary of findings from a simulation study indicating that ordinal alpha more accurately estimates reliability than Cronbach's alpha when data come from items with few response options and/or show skewness; (iii) an empirical example from real data; and (iv) the procedure for calculating polychoric correlation matrices and ordinal alpha in the freely available software program R. We use ordinal alpha as a case study, but also provide the syntax for alternative reliability coefficients (such as beta or omega). (Contains 1 figure, 3 tables and 7 footnotes.)
Transforming Rubrics Using Factor Analysis
Author: Baryla, Ed
Date: 2012-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Program Effectiveness,Factor Analysis,Competence,Scoring Rubrics,Evaluation Methods,Evaluation Research,Check Lists,College Students,Case Studies,Oral Language

Student learning and program effectiveness is often assessed using rubrics. While much time and effort may go into their creation, it is equally important to assess how effective and efficient the rubrics actually are in terms of measuring competencies over a number of criteria. This study demonstrates the use of common factor analysis to identify the number of criteria actually measured by an analytic or listing rubric. This information can help designers revise their rubrics so that each criterion measured corresponds to one unique competency making the rubric more effective and efficient. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)
Terminating Sequential Delphi Survey Data Collection
Author: Kalaian, Sema A.
Date: 2012-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Delphi Technique,Mail Surveys,Online Surveys,Data Collection,Data Analysis,Statistical Analysis,Nonparametric Statistics,Program Termination,Decision Making

The Delphi survey technique is an iterative mail or electronic (e-mail or web-based) survey method used to obtain agreement or consensus among a group of experts in a specific field on a particular issue through a well-designed and systematic multiple sequential rounds of survey administrations. Each of the multiple rounds of the Delphi survey administration is augmented with continuous summary feedback of aggregated responses from the same group of experts. Statistical methods to analyze data from the Delphi surveys to make decisions for terminating subsequent Delphi data collection are needed to ensure that (a) stability of the responses of the panel of experts is reached; and (b) termination of the rounds of the Delphi survey administration is based on sound statistical results. The present study presents an overview of the parametric and nonparametric statistical methods that can be used to analyze the structured Delphi survey data to make decisions about terminating the sequential Delphi survey data collection. (Contains 4 tables.)
Indirect Measures in Evaluation: On Not Knowing What We Don&apos;t Know
Author: Heath, Linda
Date: 2012-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Measures (Individuals),Validity,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Learning,Social Psychology,Bias,Negative Attitudes,Self Concept,Self Esteem,Metacognition

Evaluators frequently make use of indirect measures of participant learning or skill mastery, with participants either being asked if they have learned material or mastered a skill or being asked to indicate how confident they are that they know the material or can perform the task in question. Unfortunately, myriad research in social psychology has demonstrated that people are very poor judges of their own levels of accomplishment. In this paper, the social psychological dynamics that contribute to biased self-assessments are overviewed. These include the self-serving bias (e.g., Miller &amp; Ross, 1975), the better-than-average effect (e.g., Alicke et al., 1995; Brown, 1986), and the overconfidence phenomenon (Kahneman &amp; Tversky, 1979). Methods of correcting these biased reports are generally ineffective, as illustrated by Kruger and Dunning's (1999) findings that people lowest in mastery generally lack the metacognition even to understand what mastery looks like. As this type of person learns the skill in question, they often realize the level of their ignorance and lower their self-reported knowledge and skill levels. Although indirect measures of participant learning or mastery might tell us something about the level of confidence of the participants, they probably tell us little about actual ability or knowledge. Implications for applied research are discussed.
Exploring Item Order in Anxiety-Related Constructs: Practical Impacts of Serial Position
Author: Carleton, R. Nicholas
Date: 2012-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Anxiety,Test Items,Serial Ordering,Measures (Individuals),Undergraduate Students,Volunteers,Adults,Test Bias,Factor Analysis,Reliability

The present study was designed to test for item order effects by measuring four distinct constructs that contribute substantively to anxiety-related psychopathology (i.e., anxiety sensitivity, fear of negative evaluation, injury/illness sensitivity, and intolerance of uncertainty). Participants (n = 999; 71% women) were randomly assigned to complete measures for each construct presented in one of two modalities: (a) items presented cohesively as measures or (b) items presented randomly interspersed with one another. The results suggested that item order had a relatively small impact on item endorsement, response patterns, and reliabilities. The small impact was such that item order appears unlikely to influence clinical decisions related to these measures. These findings not only have implication for these and other similar measures, but further inform a long-standing debate about whether item grouping is a substantial concern in measurement. (Contains 5 tables.)
Interpreting Multiple Linear Regression: A Guidebook of Variable Importance
Author: Nathans, Laura L.
Date: 2012-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Multiple Regression Analysis,Predictor Variables,Measurement,Correlation

Multiple regression (MR) analyses are commonly employed in social science fields. It is also common for interpretation of results to typically reflect overreliance on beta weights, often resulting in very limited interpretations of variable importance. It appears that few researchers employ other methods to obtain a fuller understanding of what and how independent variables contribute to a regression equation. Thus, this paper presents a guidebook of variable importance measures that inform MR results, linking measures to a theoretical framework that demonstrates the complementary roles they play when interpreting regression findings. We also provide a data-driven example of how to publish MR results that demonstrates how to present a more complete picture of the contributions variables make to a regression equation. We end with several recommendations for practice regarding how to integrate multiple variable importance measures into MR analyses. (Contains 6 tables.)
Making Use of District and School Data
Author: Parke, Carol S.
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Indicators,Information Utilization,Guidelines,School Districts,High School Students,Secondary School Mathematics,Urban Schools,Mathematics Achievement,Middle School Students,School Attitudes,Educational Environment

This paper describes how districts can better use their extensive student databases and other existing data to explore questions of interest. School districts are required to maintain a wealth of student information in electronic data systems and other formats. The meaningfulness of the data depends to a large degree on whether they can understand the information and use it to guide their efforts. The considerations and guidelines presented here are organized into six components which include identifying the broad area, creating specific questions, roles and trust, sample and methodology, presentation of results, and outcomes and further directions. Two examples are used throughout the paper to illustrate each component. One is from a study of high school mathematics in an urban school district, the other is from a teacher-initiated effort to better understand students' perceptions of their middle school. Recommendations are offered throughout for encouraging effective data use in decision-making.
Logits and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! A Brief Look at the Simple Math of Logistic Regression and How It Can Improve Dissemination of Results
Author: Osborne, Jason W.
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Regression (Statistics),Prediction,Mathematics,Probability,Mathematical Concepts,Graphs,Dropouts,Longitudinal Studies

Logistic regression is slowly gaining acceptance in the social sciences, and fills an important niche in the researcher's toolkit: being able to predict important outcomes that are not continuous in nature. While OLS regression is a valuable tool, it cannot routinely be used to predict outcomes that are binary or categorical in nature. These outcomes represent important social science lines of research: retention in, or dropout from school, using illicit drugs, underage alcohol consumption, antisocial behavior, purchasing decisions, voting patterns, risky behavior, and so on. The goal of this paper is to briefly lead the reader through the surprisingly simple mathematics that underpins logistic regression: probabilities, odds, odds ratios, and logits. Anyone with spreadsheet software or a scientific calculator can follow along, and in turn, this knowledge can be used to make much more interesting, clear, and accurate presentations of results (especially to non-technical audiences). In particular, I will share an example of an interaction in logistic regression, how it was originally graphed, and how the graph was made substantially more user-friendly by converting the original metric (logits) to a more readily interpretable metric (probability) through three simple steps. (Contains 4 figures, 5 tables and 6 footnotes.)
Item Overexposure in Computerized Classification Tests Using Sequential Item Selection
Author: Huebner, Alan
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Assisted Testing,Classification,Test Items,Sequential Approach,Selection,Methods

Computerized classification tests (CCTs) often use sequential item selection which administers items according to maximizing psychometric information at a cut point demarcating passing and failing scores. This paper illustrates why this method of item selection leads to the overexposure of a significant number of items, and the performances of three different methods for controlling maximum item exposure rates in CCTs are compared. Specifically, the Sympson-Hetter, restricted, and item eligibility methods are examined in two studies realistically simulating different types of CCTs and are evaluated based upon criteria including classification accuracy, the number of items exceeding the desired maximum exposure rate, and test overlap. The pros and cons of each method are discussed from a practical perspective. (Contains 4 tables.)
A Demonstration of a Systematic Item-Reduction Approach Using Structural Equation Modeling
Author: Larwin, Karen
Date: 2012-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Structural Equation Models,Sampling,Statistical Inference,Measures (Individuals),Factor Structure,Goodness of Fit,Graduate Students,Self Efficacy,Anxiety,Statistics,Factor Analysis,Construct Validity

Establishing model parsimony is an important component of structural equation modeling (SEM). Unfortunately, little attention has been given to developing systematic procedures to accomplish this goal. To this end, the current study introduces an innovative application of the jackknife approach first presented in Rensvold and Cheung (1999). Unlike the traditional application of jackknife procedures for the purpose of identifying outliers and influential cases within a dataset, this jackknife procedure is applied for the purpose of identifying and eliminating items from a structural model. Items are identified through the jackknife procedure and eliminated from the model without altering the measurement or structural integrity of the model. The goal of this application is to create the most parsimonious model by reducing the number of items in an inventory, without altering the construct represented by the model. (Contains 4 figures and 15 tables.)
Reading Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities in the Upper Elementary Grades
Author: Wanzek, Jeanne
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Disabilities,Intervention,Reading Difficulties,Reading Improvement,Reading Programs,Remedial Reading,Grade 4,Grade 5,Best Practices,Change Strategies,Educational Change,Reading Instruction,Program Effectiveness,Theory Practice Relationship,Program Content,Context Effect

For students with learning disabilities, the upper elementary grades may represent a unique opportunity to provide successful remediation for lessening a reading difficulty and preventing students with learning disabilities from falling behind in other content areas. This article discusses effective reading interventions for students with learning disabilities in fourth and fifth grades. First, we review the research base on reading interventions at these grade levels in terms of content and context. Next, practical recommendations for practitioners emanating from the research are discussed. The article concludes with a brief discussion on limitations of the extant literature and suggestions for future research. (Contains 2 tables.)
Comprehension Instruction for Students with Reading Disabilities in Grades 4 through 12
Author: Reed, Deborah K.
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Reading Difficulties,Reading Skills,Teaching Methods,Reading Instruction,Content Area Reading,Educational Practices,Elementary Secondary Education,Instructional Effectiveness,Interdisciplinary Approach,Program Descriptions,Academic Accommodations (Disabilities),Change Strategies,Reading Strategies

Many students with reading difficulties in grades 4 through 12 experience challenges in understanding and learning from text. Some of these learners have demonstrated reading challenges from the early grades and have not acquired successful reading skills. Others were adequate readers in the early grades when word reading was the focus and when text complexity was minimal. Improving reading outcomes for both persistently poor readers and relatively newly challenged readers requires school-wide instructional practices integrated into content area instruction in math, science, and social studies. This article describes these practices and provides examples of how to teach reading comprehension within the content area. (Contains 2 figures.)
Supporting Adolescent English Language Learners&apos; Reading in the Content Areas
Author: Klingner, Janette K.
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Learning Problems,Second Language Learning,Inferences,Reading Instruction,English (Second Language),Adolescents,Content Area Reading,Teaching Methods,Reading Strategies,Cooperation,Secondary School Students,Comparative Analysis,Oral Language,Vocabulary Development

Adolescent English language learners (ELLs) with learning difficulties face many challenges when reading in the content areas. In this article, we review what research tells us about how best to support ELLs' reading comprehension and content learning. We draw from recent research syntheses as well as individual studies. We highlight one multi-strategy approach for teaching reading comprehension strategies, Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR), and point out aspects of CSR that make it appropriate for use with ELLs with learning difficulties in secondary school classrooms. We compare the components of CSR with sheltered English techniques. (Contains 1 table and 1 footnote.)
The Roles They Play: Prospective Elementary Teachers and a Problem-Solving Task
Author: Sharon, Valerie
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Discourse Analysis,Mathematical Concepts,Teaching Methods,Problem Solving,Elementary School Mathematics,Elementary School Teachers

The transition from learner to teacher of mathematics is often a difficult one for prospective elementary teachers to negotiate. Learning to teach necessitates the opportunity to practice the discourse of teacher of mathematics. The undergraduate mathematics content classroom provides a setting for prospective teachers to practice the discourse of teacher through their interactions with each other while also learning the mathematical concepts presented in class. This qualitative study sought to examine what roles prospective teachers adopt while engaged in a cooperative problem-solving task. Discourse analysis was applied to analyze the verbal interactions between three participants in a mathematics content course. Key disruptions in the conversation revealed instances of the fluid relationship between learner and teacher of mathematics in the roles they adopted while solving an application problem: self as learner-in-teacher, collaborator as learner-in-teacher, and unlikely learner-in-teacher. The presence of this fluid relationship led to the proposal of a model of learner-in-teacher-in-learner of mathematics. This proposed model suggests that prospective teachers have the opportunity to learn how to teach in and through each other when given the opportunity to engage in dialogue with one another. (Contains 1 table.)
Discoursing Mathematically: Using Discourse Analysis to Develop a Sociocritical Perspective of Mathematics Education
Author: Razfar, Aria
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Language Minorities,Methods Courses,Mathematics Education,Discourse Analysis,Mathematics Teachers,Minority Groups,Teacher Educators,Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Methods,Correlation

This article explores how the concepts of discourse and its methodological extension discourse analysis can help mathematics educators re-conceptualize their practices using a sociocultural view of learning. It provides conceptual and methodological tools as well as activities that can be helpful in mathematics methods courses and professional development sessions aimed at developing a more situated and social view of mathematical discourse and its relationship to student learning, particularly how mathematical discourse relates to Language Minority Students (LMS). In this article, I discuss the main features of discourse as a framework for mathematics educators and how participants in a cross-site research center collectively engaged and developed a more robust understanding of the significance of discourse and discourse analysis for understanding mathematics as a sociocultural practice. This article describes learning activities whose instructional goal is to develop a sociocritical understanding of language and mathematics. The activities presented here can be adopted as a model for engaging mathematics teacher educators and mathematics teachers to deepen their understanding of the inextricable link between language and mathematics, and of mathematics as a cultural and political activity. (Contains 1 figure, 1 table and 6 endnotes.)
The Devalued Student: Misalignment of Current Mathematics Knowledge and Level of Instruction
Author: LeMire, Steven D.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Curriculum Development,Mathematics Achievement,Program Effectiveness,Student Development,Mathematics Instruction,Correlation,High Schools,Student Attitudes,Teacher Student Relationship

Within this study, we investigated the association between 10th-grade students' mathematics performance and their feelings of instructional misalignment between their current mathematics knowledge and educator support. Data from the 2002 Education Longitudinal Study, which included a national sample of 750 public and private high schools in the United States, was used for the investigation. Our findings indicate that student perceptions of both instructional alignment and educator support are associated with mathematics performance. Students who reported receiving misaligned instruction in mathematics and felt devalued by educators had lower mathematics performance than students who reported aligned mathematics instruction and who felt valued by teachers. A key implication for practitioners of this work is that mathematics educators should consider cognitive and affective elements of student development. Specifically in addition to cognitive factors, the affective elements of student capacity to receive, respond to, and value whole-group mathematics instruction in academically diverse classrooms should be considered in curriculum planning. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)