Adaptive teacher support (i.e., support that is tailored to students' understanding) is considered crucial for students' learning. Previous research examined support adaptivity mostly in small-scale, observational studies without distinguishing between theory-based facets of support adaptivity. Yet, students' perceptions of different aspects of…

In this study, we examined the scoring and generalizability assumptions of an explicit instruction (EI) special education teacher observation protocol using many-faceted Rasch measurement (MFRM). Video observations of classroom instruction from 48 special education teachers across four states were collected. External raters (n = 20) were trained…

Testwiseness may introduce construct-irrelevant variance to multiple-choice test scores. Presenting response options sequentially has been proposed as a potential solution to this problem. In an experimental validation, we determined the psychometric properties of a test based on the sequential presentation of response options. We created a strong…

This goal of this study was to develop a quantitative measure that captures the dimensions of youth purpose (intention, engagement, and prosocial reasoning; Damon, Menon, and Bronk, 2003), focusing on students' life goals and aspirations. We tested the construct validity of our new measure using bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (B…

Although belonging in K-12 school settings has been abundantly researched and clearly defined, at the university level the research and construct definition is still in its infancy (Tovar & Simon, 2010). The present study sought to develop and validate an instrument measuring university belonging--the University Belonging Questionnaire (UBQ).…

Rubric-referenced calibration and the interaction between writing achievement and calibration, a measure of the relationship between one's performance and the accuracy of one's judgments, were investigated. Undergraduate students (N = 596) were assigned to one of three calibration conditions: (a) global, (b) global and general criteria, or (c)…

A scale measuring attitude toward physical education was developed for elementary school children in grades 4 to 7. Correlation between scores obtained on the scale and a self-rating produced coefficients ranging from .22 to .82. Reliability ranged from .57 to .81. No significant difference was found between sexes. (Author/GDC)

A 22-item instrument (My Classmates) was developed to measure fifth-sixth graders' perceptions of their peer relationships, and administered to 621 students. The instrument's reliability and validity were supported. Group membership was found to be related to certain student characteristics. (The questionnaire is appended). (GDC)