Testing for differential item functioning (DIF) has undergone rapid statistical developments recently. Moderated nonlinear factor analysis (MNLFA) allows for simultaneous testing of DIF among multiple categorical and continuous covariates (e.g., sex, age, ethnicity, etc.), and regularization has shown promising results for identifying DIF among…

The large scale expansion of online courses has led to the crisis of course quality issues. In this study, we first established an evaluation index system for online courses using factor analysis, encompassing three key constructs: course resource construction, course implementation, and teaching effectiveness. Subsequently, we employed factor…

In confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), model parameters are usually estimated by iteratively minimizing the Maximum Likelihood (ML) fit function. In optimal circumstances, the ML estimator yields the desirable statistical properties of asymptotic unbiasedness, efficiency, normality, and consistency. In practice, however, real-life data tend to be…

We develop a "latent variable forest" (LV Forest) algorithm for the estimation of latent variable scores with one or more latent variables. LV Forest estimates unbiased latent variable scores based on "confirmatory factor analysis" (CFA) models with ordinal and/or numerical response variables. Through parametric model…

We conducted an extensive Monte Carlo study of factor-rotation local solutions (LS) in multidimensional, two-parameter logistic (M2PL) item response models. In this study, we simulated more than 19,200 data sets that were drawn from 96 model conditions and performed more than 7.6 million rotations to examine the influence of (a) slope parameter…

Psychology originally defined parent-child conflict in terms of interpersonal relationships, where parent-child conflict is a process of inconsistent attitudes between parents and children that occurs in a family setting. For this end, we aims to investigate the influence of parental awareness on preschoolers' perception of parent-child conflict…

Performance Factors Analysis (PFA) is considered one of the most important Knowledge Tracing (KT) approaches used for constructing adaptive educational hypermedia systems. It has shown a high prediction accuracy against many other KT approaches. While, the desire to estimate more accurately the student level leads researchers to enhance PFA by…

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have evolved rapidly in recent years due to their open and massive nature. However, MOOCs suffer from a high dropout rate, since learners struggle to stay cognitively and emotionally engaged. Learner feedback is an excellent way to understand learner behaviour and model early decision making. In the presented…

The new Croatian Informatics curriculum, which introduces computational thinking concepts into learning outcomes has been put into practice. A computational thinking assessment model reflecting the learning outcomes of the Croatian curriculum was created using an evidence-centered design approach. The possibility of assessing the computational…

The method proposed by Harman and Fukuda to treat the so-called Heywood case in the minres method in factor analysis (i.e., the case where the resulting communalities are greater than one) involves the frequent solution of eigenvalue problems. A simple method to treat this problem is presented. (Author/JKS)

Several algorithms for computing the greatest lower bound to reliability or the constrained minimum-trace communality solution in factor analysis have been developed. The convergence properties of these methods are examined. A uniqueness proof for the desired solution is offered. (Author/JKS)

A new algorithm to obtain the least squares solution in common factor analysis is presented. It is based on the up-and-down Marquadt algorithm developed by the present authors. Experiments in the use of the algorithm under various conditions are discussed. (Author/JKS)

Confirmatory factor analysis is considered from a Bayesian viewpoint, in which prior information concerning parameters is incorporated in the analysis. An interactive algorithm is developed to obtain the Bayesian estimates. A numerical example is presented. (Author/JKS)

Minimum trace factor analysis has been used to find the greatest lower bound to reliability. This technique, however, fails to be scale free. A solution to the scale problem is proposed through the maximization of the greatest lower bound as the function of weights. (Author/JKS)

The details of EM algorithms for maximum likelihood factor analysis are presented for both the exploratory and confirmatory models. An example is presented to demonstrate potential problems in other approaches to maximum likelihood factor analysis. (Author/JKS)