Large-scale assessment programs such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) use a sophisticated assessment administration design called matrix sampling that minimizes the testing burden on individual…

Trend estimation in international comparative large-scale assessments relies on measurement invariance between countries. However, cross-national differential item functioning (DIF) has been repeatedly documented. We ran a simulation study using national item parameters, which required trends to be computed separately for each country, to compare…

This study was conceived when it was observed that in the laboratory, with few exceptions, college freshmen chemistry students did not know how to make accurate measurements. Once the students were made aware of this, they easily learned how. From this experience and in the interest of breaking the cycle, it was decided to assess the ability of…