Teaching quality is the lifeline of the higher education. Many universities have made some effective achievement about evaluating the teaching quality. In this paper, we establish the Students' evaluation of teaching (SET) discriminant analysis model and algorithm based on principal component clustering analysis. Additionally, we classify the SET…

Multilevel modeling (MLM) is frequently used to detect cluster-level group differences in cluster randomized trial and observational studies. Group differences on the outcomes (posttest scores) are detected by controlling for the covariate (pretest scores) as a proxy variable for unobserved factors that predict future attributes. The pretest and…

Multilevel data structures are ubiquitous in the assessment of differential item functioning (DIF), particularly in large-scale testing programs. There are a handful of DIF procures for researchers to select from that appropriately account for multilevel data structures. However, little, if any, work has been completed to extend a popular DIF…

Since Topping published his literature review on peer assessment in 1998, the number of studies on this subject has doubled, if not tripled. However, along with this expansion, the diversity of peer assessment applications increased equally fast. Based on recent literature, this contribution focuses specifically on the diversity that has come to…

Limited time and budgets have created a legitimate need for quantitative measures of scholarly work. The well-known journal impact factor is the leading measure of this sort; here we describe an alternative approach based on the full structure of the scholarly citation network. The Eigenfactor Metrics--Eigenfactor Score and Article Influence…

This study investigates measurement decision theory (MDT) as an underlying model for computer adaptive testing when the goal is to classify examinees into one of a finite number of groups. The first analysis compares MDT with a popular item response theory model and finds little difference in terms of the percentage of correct classifications. The…

This paper introduces a method for mining multiple-choice assessment data for similarity of the concepts represented by the multiple choice responses. The resulting similarity matrix can be used to visualize the distance between concepts in a lower-dimensional space. This gives an instructor a visualization of the relative difficulty of concepts…

Assuming the perception of similarities as a fundamental psychological process, the applicability of a multidimensional scaling, nonmetric technique called MAPP (Mathematical Analysis of Perception and Preference) is demonstrated using three case studies. Any technique which provides paired similarity ranks can be used to collect data necessary…

The present paper tackles the issue of the higher education funding system in Slovenia. Its main attribute is that institutions are classified into study groups according to their fields of education, and funds granted by the state are based on their weights or study group factors (SGF). Analysis conducted using data envelopment analysis tested…

Five external criteria were used to evaluate the extent of recovery of the true structure in a hierarchical clustering solution. The results of the study indicated that the Hubert and Arabie adjusted Rank index was best suited to the task of comparison across hierarchy levels. (Author/LMO)

A measure for the quantification of the changes in classification under small changes in data is proposed. (Author)

Using the cluster generation procedure proposed by D. Steinley and R. Henson (2005), the author investigated the performance of K-means clustering under the following scenarios: (a) different probabilities of cluster overlap; (b) different types of cluster overlap; (c) varying samples sizes, clusters, and dimensions; (d) different multivariate…

In this study assumptions are made concerning the amount of clustering in sequences containing runs of equivalent elements. It is assumed that any valid clustering measure is linear with respect to union of runs and monotone increasing under iterations of clustering operators. With these two assumptions it follows that any such measure is of…

Develops and illustrates a method for clustering hierarchically the interrelationships between many persons, as represented in a matrix of a thousand by a thousand. (RC)

A pattern-analytical technique, Similar Response Analysis (SRA), was developed, validated with contrived data, verified using previously reported data based on other pattern-analytical methods, and used successfully with "real" data. This technique orders subjects on the basis of the similarity of responses of adjacent individuals, not…