A primary purpose of cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs) is to classify examinees based on their attribute patterns. The Q-matrix (Tatsuoka, 1985), a common component of all CDMs, specifies the relationship between the set of required dichotomous attributes and the test items. Since a Q-matrix is often developed by content-knowledge experts and can…

The integration of computational thinking (CT) and computer science (CS) into formal K-12 learning experiences are critical for students to be competent 21st Century problem solvers. Building student competency with these areas is dependent upon educators who have the pedagogical content expertise to integrate CT and CS within their disciplines…

Diagnostic classification models (DCMs) are structured latent class models widely discussed in the field of psychometrics. They model subjects' underlying attribute patterns and classify subjects into unobservable groups based on their mastery of attributes required to answer the items correctly. The effective implementation of DCMs depends…

From time-critical, real time computational experimentation to applications which process petabytes of data there is a continuing search for faster, more responsive computing platforms capable of supporting computational experimentation. Weather forecast models, for instance, process gigabytes of data to produce regional (mesoscale) predictions on…

Emphasis on regular mathematics skill assessment, intervention, and progress monitoring under the RTI model has created a need for the development of assessment instruments that are psychometrically sound, reliable, universal, and brief. Important factors to consider when developing or selecting assessments for the school environment include what…

I study three separate questions in this dissertation. In Chapter 1, I develop and estimate a structural dynamic model of occupation and job choice to test hypotheses of the importance of wages and non-wages and learning in occupational transitions, and find that wages are approximately 3 times as important as non-wage benefits in decisions and…

A new capacity to track the inputs and outcomes of individual students' education production function has spurred a growing number of school districts to attempt to measure the productivity of their teachers in terms of student outcomes. The use of these value-added measures of teacher effectiveness is at the center of current education reform.…

We establish an isoperimetric inequality for the fundamental tone (first nonzero eigenvalue) of the free plate of a given area, proving the ball is maximal. Given tau greater than 0, the free plate eigenvalues omega and eigenfunctions upsilon are determined by the equation Delta Delta upsilon - tau Delta upsilon = omega upsilon together with…

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability, validity, and predictive utility of 3 measures for screening kindergarten students for risk for math difficulty (MD). The screening measures assessed number sense and computational fluency, constructs central to typical early mathematical development. Conceptual and operational outcomes…

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a well established tool for formative assessment. CBM has also been used for prediction of state test scores. However, validity coefficients between math-CBM and state tests have been moderate at best (Skiba, Magnusson, Martson, and Erickson, 1986; Martson, 1989; Putnam, 1989). The purpose of the present…