The aim of this study was to compare the results of many-facet Rasch analyses based on crossed and judge pair designs. The study was conducted with 168 eighth grade students and five judges. The study data were collected using an achievement test with open-ended questions and a holistic rubric that was used to rate the responses. In the data…

The purpose of this study was to examine the National School Orchestra Contests sponsored by the National Bureau for the Advancement of Music and the Committee on Instrumental Affairs (CIA) of Music Supervisors National Conference from 1929 to 1937. Research questions examined contest (a) organization and operation, (b) rules and procedures, (c)…

One of the best-known methods for setting a benchmark standard on a test is that of Angoff and its modifications. When scored dichotomously, judges estimate the probability that a benchmark student has of answering each item correctly. As in most methods of standard setting, it is assumed implicitly that the unit of the latent scale of the…

The study investigated the effects of scoring by section, use of independent scorers and conventional patterns on scorer reliability in Biology essay tests. It was revealed from literature review that conventional pattern of scoring all items at a time in essay tests had been criticized for not being reliable. The study was true experimental study…

Many university science outreach programs involve presentations of research projects to high school students. These presentations often focus more on exciting scientific content and less on fostering direct relationships between high school students and scientists. Such interactions are important for sustaining student interest in science…

Measurement literature supports the utility of alignment models for application with state standards and large-scale assessments. However, the literature is lacking in the application of these models to curriculum-based measures (CBMs) and common core standards. In this study, I investigate the alignment of CBMs and standards, with specific…

The Truancy Court Diversion Program (TCDP) is a voluntary program for at risk students and their parents. It combines involvement of a Family Court judge in group and individual sessions with service provision. During the 2011-12 school year, a pilot TCDP was implemented at Kramer Middle School (M.S.) and at Johnson M.S. The program attempts to…

An evaluation of the Truancy Court Diversion Program (TCDP) found that despite significant implementation challenges, parent-child communication and youths' attitudes towards school both improved. A voluntary program for middle school students at risk for chronic truancy, TCDP involves judicially-led sessions that address student attitudes…

Science fair judges provide secrets to a successful science fair. Whether students are competing in science fairs at the high school, local, district, regional, state, or international level, their success is dependent on the judges' interpretation of their work. In this article, the authors present a series of questions and answers from past…

With trends toward high stakes testing moving inexorably forward, project-based components of Rhode Island's Performance Based Graduation system have been largely overlooked. Existing studies focus primarily on implementation of senior projects (Davidson, 2009; Lorenz, 1999; Mayer, 1999; Nicolini, 1999; Shaunessy, 2004; Singer & Hubbard,…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether viewing a musical score while listening (as opposed to not viewing the score) would affect musicians' ratings of choral performance excerpts. University musicians (N = 240) listened to four excerpts of choral music (from Vivaldi's "Gloria") and rated them on a 10-point Likert-type scale for…

In education, standards have to be interpreted, for planning of teaching, for development of assessments and for alignment analysis. In most cases, it is important that there is an agreement between individuals and organizations about how to interpret standards. However, there is a lack of studies of how consistent different group of judges are…

In this article, the author relates how his school beats up the post-national examination blues by staging a "May Madness" competition. The competition is like a "tournament of historical figures" wherein students are asked to debate which historical figures were more significant until they have a "Final Four" and, eventually, a winner. The author…