Test writing is a fundamental component of teaching. With increasing pressure to teach larger groups of students, conduct formal assessment of learning outcomes, and offer online and hybrid classes, there is a need for alternatives to constructed response problem-solving test questions. We believe that appropriate use of multiple-choice (MC)…

Data literacy, or students' abilities to understand, interpret, and think critically about data, is an increasing need in K-16 science education. Ocean Tracks College Edition (OTCE) sought to address this need by creating a set of learning modules that engage students in using large-scale, professionally collected animal migration and physical…

Fully "qualitative" surveys, which prioritise qualitative research values, and harness the rich potential of qualitative data, have much to offer qualitative researchers, especially given online delivery options. Yet the method remains underutilised, and there is little in the way of methodological discussion of qualitative surveys.…

The use of singular methodologies has dominated emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD) intervention research, and by extension, the field has not deployed mixed-methods research (MMR). The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of MMR and demonstrate its utility for conducting EBD intervention research. The basic tenants and design…

Accrediting agencies for English language programs, such as the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA), require a plan in writing for monitoring and reviewing assessment practices. Nonetheless, web-search queries such as "assessing assessment," "how to assess assessment," "assessing assessment…

Data collected from surveys can result in hundreds of variables and thousands of respondents. This implies that time and energy must be devoted to (a) carefully entering the data into a database, (b) running preliminary analyses to identify any problems (e.g., missing data, potential outliers), (c) checking the reliability and validity of the…

One tool that many families own, across the globe, is a basic mobile phone. The use of low-cost basic mobile phones for educational purposes in humanitarian settings is critical where access to connectivity and higher cost devices is limited. The portability of mobile phones, combined with their communication features, offers multiple uses to…

This essay describes Rasch analysis psychometric techniques and how such techniques can be used by life sciences education researchers to guide the development and use of surveys and tests. Specifically, Rasch techniques can be used to document and evaluate the measurement functioning of such instruments. Rasch techniques also allow researchers to…

Packed with new topics that reflect today's challenges, the Sixth Edition of the bestselling "How to Conduct Surveys" guides readers through the process of developing their own rigorous surveys and evaluating the credibility and transparency of surveys created by others. Offering practical, step-by-step advice and written in the same…

Every day, people use data to make decisions that affect their personal and professional lives, trusting that the data are correct. Many times, however, the data are inaccurate, as a result of a flaw in the design or methodology of the survey used to collect the data. Researchers agree that only questions that are clearly worded, unambiguous, free…

The IEA's International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) investigates the ways in which young people are prepared to undertake their roles as citizens in a range of countries in the second decade of the 21st century. ICCS 2016 is the second cycle of a study initiated in 2009. This technical report follows the publication of several…

Administrators at many colleges and universities have had online courses at their institutions for many years, now. One of the hidden challenges about online courses is that they tend to be observed and evaluated far less frequently than their face-to-face course counterparts. This is party due to the fact that many of us administrators today…

The purpose of this report is to describe the technical qualities of the 2018-2019 operational administration of the English language arts/literacy (ELA/L) and mathematics summative assessments in grades 3 through 8 and high school. The ELA/L assessments focus on reading and comprehending a range of sufficiently complex texts independently and…

The purpose of this report is to describe the technical qualities of the 2018-2019 operational administration of the English language arts/literacy (ELA/L) and mathematics assessments in grades 3 through 8 and high school. New Meridian, in coordination with multiple states and vendors, developed an alternate form of the summative assessment to…

Undergraduate research is important for preparing the next generation of scholars in family and consumer sciences (FCS). The Research Resource Guide (RRG) was developed in response to that need; it provides comprehensive information on the research process for faculty to incorporate into undergraduate courses. The RRG comprises three levels: (a)…