ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Controlling Test Overlap Rate in Automated Assembly of Multiple Equivalent Test Forms
Author: Lin, Chuan-Ju
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Test Length,Test Format,Evaluation Criteria,Psychometrics,Test Construction,Test Content,Test Items,Computer Assisted Testing,Evaluation Research

Assembling equivalent test forms with minimal test overlap across forms is important in ensuring test security. Chen and Lei (2009) suggested a exposure control technique to control test overlap-ordered item pooling on the fly based on the essence that test overlap rate--ordered item pooling for the first t examinees is a function of test overlap rate-- ordered item pooling for the previous (t-1) examinees. The exposure control procedure to control test overlap-ordered item pooling on the fly appears to meet the needs of controlling test overlap rate for tests assembled sequentially. To develop a better understanding of how well the ordered-item-pooling control method function in automated assembly of multiple forms with the WDM heuristic, this study evaluated its performance under different conditions of test length and test-content outline by comparing the outcomes to those from the corresponding baseline automated-test-assembly (ATA) conditions, where test overlap controls were not considered. The evaluation criteria included (i) the conformity to the test-assembly constraints, (ii) test parallelism in terms of the resultant psychometric properties, (iii) average test overlap rate, and (iv) distribution of item exposure rate. The results showed that the ordered-item-pooling control procedure demonstrated its effectiveness in most experimental conditions by achieving an acceptable average test overlap rate across multiple forms without compromising the conformity to the test-assembly constraints and the test equity of the assembled forms. Moreover, test security might be ensured in less supportive contexts for ATA by imposing item exposure control together with test overlap control that would be less likely to compromise test quality. More research is needed to verify this anticipation. (Contains 9 tables and 21 figures.)
Evidence-Centered Design of Epistemic Games: Measurement Principles for Complex Learning Environments
Author: Rupp, Andre A.
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Research Methodology,Educational Research,Evaluation Methods,Educational Games,Skill Development,Cooperative Learning,Problem Solving,Inquiry,Design,Reliability,Validity,Thinking Skills,Error of Measurement,Models,Decision Making,Generalization

We are currently at an exciting juncture in developing effective means for assessing so-called 21st-century skills in an innovative yet reliable fashion. One of these avenues leads through the world of "epistemic games" (Shaffer, 2006a), which are games designed to give learners the rich experience of professional practica within a discipline. They serve to develop domain-specific expertise based on principles of collaborative learning, distributed expertise, and complex problem-solving. In this paper, we describe a comprehensive research program for investigating the methodological challenges that await rigorous inquiry within the epistemic games context. We specifically demonstrate how the "evidence-centered design framework" (Mislevy, Almond, & Steinberg, 2003) as well as current conceptualizations of reliability and validity theory can be used to structure the development of epistemic games as well as empirical research into their functioning. Using the epistemic game "Urban Science" (Bagley & Shaffer, 2009), we illustrate the numerous decisions that need to be made during game development and their implications for amassing qualitative and quantitative evidence about learners' developing expertise within epistemic games. (Contains 4 figures.)
Specificity of Structural Assessment of Knowledge
Author: Trumpower, David L.
Date: 2010-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Programming Languages,Problem Solving,Computers,Programming,Inferences,Mathematics,Evaluation,Higher Education,Undergraduate Students,Formative Evaluation,Summative Evaluation,Research Design,Knowledge Representation,Concept Mapping,Educational Psychology

This study examines the specificity of information provided by structural assessment of knowledge (SAK). SAK is a technique which uses the Pathfinder scaling algorithm to transform ratings of concept relatedness into network representations (PFnets) of individuals' knowledge. Inferences about individuals' overall domain knowledge based on the similarity between their PFnets and a referent PFnet have been shown to be valid. We investigate a more fine grained evaluation of &quot;specific links&quot; in individuals' PFnets for identifying particular strengths and weaknesses. Thirty-five undergraduates learned about a computer programming language and were then tested on their knowledge of the language with SAK and a problem solving task. The presence of two subsets of links in participants' PFnets differentially predicted performance on two types of problems, thereby providing evidence of the specificity of SAK. Implications for the formative use of SAK in the classroom and in computer-based environments are discussed. (Contains 6 figures and 4 endnotes.)
Educational Outcomes and Research from 1:1 Computing Settings
Author: Bebell, Damian
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Outcomes of Education,Academic Achievement,Student Motivation,Learner Engagement,Evidence,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Program Implementation,Student Improvement,Achievement Gains,Educational Research,Pilot Projects,Middle Schools,High Schools,Elementary Schools,Educational Change,Change Strategies,Educational Strategies,Educational Policy,Computer Uses in Education,Laptop Computers,Technology Integration,Educational Technology,Internet

Despite the growing interest in 1:1 computing initiatives, relatively little empirical research has focused on the outcomes of these investments. The current special edition of the Journal of Technology and Assessment presents four empirical studies of K-12 1:1 computing programs and one review of key themes in the conversation about 1:1 computing among advocates and critics. In this introduction to our 1:1 special edition, we synthesize across the studies and discuss the emergent themes. Looking specifically across these studies, we summarize evidence that participation in the 1:1 programs was associated with increased student and teacher technology use, increased student engagement and interest level, and modest increases in student achievement.
One to One Computing: A Summary of the Quantitative Results from the Berkshire Wireless Learning Initiative
Author: Bebell, Damian
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Research Design,Middle Schools,Pilot Projects,Research Methodology,Program Effectiveness,Research Skills,Comparative Analysis,Access to Education,Principals,Observation,Public Schools,Administrator Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Trend Analysis,Correlation,Educational Resources,Outcomes of Education,Academic Achievement,Student Motivation,Learner Engagement,Evidence,Program Evaluation,Program Implementation,Student Improvement,Achievement Gains,Educational Change,Change Strategies,Educational Strategies,Educational Policy,Laptop Computers,Technology Integration,Educational Technology,Internet,Computer Mediated Communication,Computer Assisted Instruction,Catholic Schools,Computer Assisted Testing,Educational Practices,Educational Testing,Teacher Surveys,Interviews,Student Surveys

This paper examines the educational impacts of the Berkshire Wireless Learning Initiative (BWLI), a pilot program that provided 1:1 technology access to all students and teachers across five public and private middle schools in western Massachusetts. Using a pre/post comparative study design, the current study explores a wide range of program impacts over the three years of the project's implementation. Specifically, the current document provides an overview of the project background, implementation, research design and methodology, and a summary of the quantitative results. The study details how teaching and learning practices changed when students and teachers were provided with laptops, wireless learning environments, and additional technology resources. The results found that both the implementation and outcomes of the program were varied across the five 1:1 settings and over the three years of the student laptop implementation. Despite these differences, there was evidence that the types of educational access and opportunities afforded by 1:1 computing through the pilot program led to measurable changes in teacher practices, student achievement, student engagement, and students' research skills. (Contains 13 tables, 5 figures, and 2 endnotes.)
After Installation: Ubiquitous Computing and High School Science in Three Experienced, High-Technology Schools
Author: Drayton, Brian
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Uses in Education,Interaction,Data Analysis,Secondary School Science,High Schools,Science Instruction,Educational Technology,Technology Integration,Teaching Methods,Environmental Influences,Course Content,Science Laboratories,Classroom Communication,School Culture,Public Schools,Private Schools,Urban Schools,Rural Schools,Computer Software,Internet,Web Sites,Electronic Mail,Word Processing,Spreadsheets,Computer Mediated Communication

There are few studies of the impact of ubiquitous computing on high school science, and the majority of studies of ubiquitous computing report only on the early stages of implementation. The present study presents data on 3 high schools with carefully elaborated ubiquitous computing systems that have gone through at least one "obsolescence cycle" and are therefore several years past first implementation. The data from these schools shows how the elements of a 1:1, wireless environment are being deployed in these science classrooms, and the effects of the environment on science content, data analysis, labs and other uses for visualizations, and classroom interaction. While some positive effects are clearly seen in these classrooms, five years or more into the innovation, problems remain, and school cultural factors seem to play an important role in teacher uptake and integration of the technology. Implications for teacher learning are discussed. (Contains 13 figures and 3 tables.)
Evaluating the Implementation Fidelity of Technology Immersion and Its Relationship with Student Achievement
Author: Shapley, Kelly S.
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle Schools,Academic Achievement,Internet,Program Implementation,Access to Computers,Causal Models,Program Evaluation,Audits (Verification),Student Surveys,Teacher Surveys,Comparative Testing,Program Effectiveness,Questionnaires,Laptop Computers,Influence of Technology,Computer Uses in Education

In a pilot study of the Technology Immersion model, high-need middle schools were &quot;immersed&quot; in technology by providing a laptop for each student and teacher, wireless Internet access, curricular and assessment resources, professional development, and technical and pedagogical support. This article examines the fidelity of model implementation and associations between implementation indicators and student achievement. Results across three years for 21 immersion schools show that the average levels of school support for Technology Immersion and teachers' Classroom Immersion increased slightly, while the level of Student Access and Use declined. Implementation quality varied across schools and classrooms, with a quarter or fewer of schools and core-content classrooms reaching &quot;substantial&quot; implementation. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we found that teacher-level implementation components (Immersion Support, Classroom Immersion) were inconsistent and mostly not statistically significant predictors of student achievement, whereas students' use of laptops outside of school for homework and learning games was the strongest implementation predictor of achievement. (Contains 14 tables, 5 figures, and 3 endnotes.)
Laptops and Fourth-Grade Literacy: Assisting the Jump over the Fourth-Grade Slump
Author: Suhr, Kurt A.
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing Strategies,Academic Achievement,Statistical Analysis,Grade 5,Literacy,Technology Integration,Technology Uses in Education,Computers,Outcomes of Education,Teaching Methods,Grade 4,Language Arts,Comparative Analysis

School districts throughout the country are considering how to best integrate technology into instruction. There has been a movement in many districts toward one-to-one laptop instruction, in which all students are provided a laptop computer, but there is concern that these programs may not yield sufficiently improved learning outcomes to justify their substantial cost. And while there has been a great deal of research on the use of laptops in schools, there is little quantitative research systematically investigating the impact of laptop use on test outcomes, and none among students at the fourth-to-fifth grade levels. This study investigated whether a one-to-one laptop program could help improve English language arts (ELA) test scores of upper elementary students, a group that often faces a slowdown of literacy development during the transition from learning to read to reading to learn known as the &quot;fourth-grade slump.&quot; We explore these questions by comparing changes in the ELA test scores of a group of students who entered a one-to-one laptop program in the fourth-grade to a similar group of students in a traditional program in the same school district. After two years' participation in the program, laptop students outperformed non-laptop students on changes in the ELA total score and in the two subtests that correspond most closely to frequent laptop use: writing strategies and literary response and analysis. (Contains 16 tables.)
The End of Techno-Critique: The Naked Truth about 1:1 Laptop Initiatives and Educational Change
Author: Weston, Mark E.
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Uses in Education,Criticism,Educational Change,Discourse Analysis,Educational Improvement,Improvement Programs,Policy Analysis,Outcomes of Education,Academic Achievement,Evidence,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Elementary Secondary Education,Change Strategies,Educational Strategies,Educational Policy,Laptop Computers,Technology Integration,Educational Technology,Educational Practices,Instructional Innovation

This analysis responds to a generation of criticism leveled at 1:1 laptop computer initiatives. The article presents a review of the key themes of that criticism and offers suggestions for reframing the conversation about 1:1 computing among advocates and critics. Efforts at changing, innovating, and reforming education provide the context for reframing the conversation. Within that context, we raise questions about what classrooms and schools need to look and be like in order to realize the advantages of 1:1 computing. In doing so, we present a theoretical vision for self-organizing schools in which laptop computers or other such devices are essential tools.
"If I Had Only Known . . ."
Author: Hargrove, Kathy
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Introductory Courses,Academically Gifted,Special Needs Students,Teacher Education Programs,Student Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Skills,Teacher Competencies,Observation,Student Needs

The author's introductory course, "Nature and Needs of the Gifted," was unusual in the Fall semester this year because for the first time in a long time, most of her students had no background at all in gifted education. Teachers in her class were highly motivated and wanted to learn. They seemed to care about meeting the needs of the gifted, but they just did not know how. The author noticed these information and skill gaps from the first night of class, and about two weeks into the semester, she decided to record comments to document her observations. She asked the students to write and tell her how they felt about some of their questions and concerns. In this article, the author shares lessons she learned from the students' comments.
Systematic and Sustained: Powerful Approaches for Enhancing Deep Mathematical Thinking
Author: Tretter, Thomas R.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Fundamental Concepts,Academically Gifted,Mathematics Education,Teaching Methods,Educational Strategies,Elementary School Mathematics,Thinking Skills,Cognitive Processes,Games

Developing appropriate curriculum to challenge gifted students can be difficult, whether in a mixed-ability classroom or in a self-contained gifted classroom. Four potential ways that a curriculum can be modified for gifted students have been suggested: (1) acceleration; (2) enrichment; (3) sophistication; and (4) novelty. This article proposes several specific strategies that take two typical approaches for gifted students--enrichment and novelty--and transforms those experiences into a highly sophisticated approach that may more strongly enhance students' abilities for deep mathematical thinking. Two features of the proposed sophisticated curricular experiences are that students engage with systematic and sustained experiences. This article employs a strategy that will be one of those recommended for use with students to enhance the characteristics of &quot;systematic and sustained.&quot; A few particular examples are selected for presentation in some depth, from which larger pedagogical implications and impacts are discussed. These examples are chosen simply because they offer an opportunity to illustrate some of the more fundamental concepts being raised and not because they are inherently more useful or valuable than any number of other possible choices that might serve equally well. (Contains 3 tables and 4 figures.)
Giftedness across the Lifespan: An Interview with Rena Subotnik
Author: Henshon, Suzanna E.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Laboratory Schools,Academically Gifted,Psychology,Grants,Interviews,Administrators,Personal Narratives,Biographical Inventories,Adolescents,Elementary Secondary Education

This article presents an interview with Rena Subotnik. Dr. Subotnik brings a unique and wonderful perspective to the field of gifted education: as a gifted student, classroom teacher, writer, professor, consultant, and internationally known researcher. She has inspired thousands of people through her teaching and writing, and through her guidance in designing and directing the Center for Gifted Education Policy at the American Psychological Association. Dr. Subotnik was professor of education at Hunter College and research/curriculum consultant to Hunter's laboratory schools for gifted children from 1986-2001. She has been awarded research and training grants from the National Science Foundation, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, the Institute of Education Sciences, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, the McDonnell Foundation, the Javits Grant Program of the U.S. Department of Education, and the Spencer Foundation. She was hired in 2001 to design and develop the Center for Gifted Education Policy (CGEP). In 2002, she was appointed by the American Psychological Association to serve as Director of the Center for Psychology in Schools and Education and CGEP was integrated into this important component of the APA Education Directorate. Dr. Subotnik continues to provide creative leadership for CGEP at APA and in public forums in collaboration with Ashley Edmiston, who helps coordinate the day-to-day management of CGEP. In this interview, Dr. Subotnik describes her experiences that led her to the field of gifted education and shares her perspective on the field.
Using Tiered Assignments to Engage Learners in Advanced Placement Physics
Author: Geddes, Kimberly A.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Style,Advanced Placement,Lesson Plans,Gifted,Science Programs,Brainstorming,Physics,Individualized Instruction,Mathematics Instruction,Instructional Materials,Student Evaluation,Information Technology,High Schools

This article presents lesson plans that incorporate tiered objectives and brainstorming techniques as means for differentiating instruction and ensuring that learners are challenged at levels commensurate with their abilities even though they are developing an understanding of the same physics concepts. A listing of materials and resources supporting these activities is presented. The lessons require that the teacher complete an assessment of each student's learning styles, strengths, weaknesses, and interests prior to implementation. The lessons assume that all learners in the AP Physics class are gifted and high-achieving students but differ in mathematical readiness and learning styles; therefore, the students are divided into lab groups based on mathematical ability and learning styles. The extension of these lesson plans to real-life scenarios is intended to make the lessons relevant to gifted underachievers and appeal to all ethnicities. Also, consistent with the recommendations of the ERIC Development Team on Planning Science Programs for High Ability Learners, the lessons infuse technology as a means to connect students with real-world opportunities through research, data analyses, presentations of findings, and communication with industry professionals. (Contains 1 table.)
Lift the Ceiling: Increase Rigor with Critical Thinking Skills
Author: McCollister, Karen
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Structural Elements (Construction),Stimulation,Academically Gifted,Student Interests,Criticism,Critical Thinking,Thinking Skills,Educational Environment,Teaching Methods,Problem Solving,Questioning Techniques,Decision Making,Grade 4,Grade 5,Elementary Secondary Education

The optimal school learning environment for gifted students is one where scholastic rigor is the standard. This rigor is needed both to stimulate the students intellectually and enhance their academic growth. The integration of critical thinking skills into the daily content and lessons is essential for achieving this rigor. This infusion, along with also taking into account student interest, readiness, and learning styles, provides the foundation and walls for raising the ceiling of students' scholastic growth and intellectual stimulation. Infusing good critical thinking activities in the classroom also helps the brightest students on the normal developmental trajectory as they interrelate ideas within and among the disciplines leading to increased academic rigor and greater depth of understanding for them. Critical thinking enhances academic growth; the more it is integrated into content instruction, the more students will analyze the concepts they are learning. This article discusses four useful ways to integrate critical thinking into the curriculum. These include: (1) the inclusion of problem solving; (2) asking questions that require critical analysis; (3) evaluating sources; and (4) decision making. (Contains 2 figures.)