A paired-comparisons study of Patient Management Problem (PMP) test scores was undertaken to investigate the relationship between performance and corresponding scores (proficiency and pathway). Findings suggest that assigning points at the "option level" culminates in scores that cannot readily be linked to behavior they are supposed to…

Reports the development of an empirically derived measure for evaluating the influence of personal constructs and decision rules in solving rehabilitation problems. The instrument was administered to 20 novice rehabilitation counselors and was found to have acceptable levels of content validity. (Author/JAC)

Written clinical simulation problems in forced-choice and essay formats were used to compare the performance of medical students with varying levels of clinical experience at the conclusion of their pediatric rotations. Clinical simulation problems failed to demonstrate responsiveness to development and maturation in the problem-solving approach…

This paper describes the testing and refinement of an instrument for identifying and measuring Problem Formulation and Resolution (PFR) in online asynchronous discussions (OADs). The instrument was used to analyse a transcript of an OAD designed specifically for PFR with 30 participants in an undergraduate course for teachers in training. Results…

Two research reports are included in this document. The first is a study of children's anxiety. A sixteen-item trait anxiety scale was used on a population of students in grades 4 through 6. The first ten items measured anxiety about making mistakes in performing physical education activities, and the remaining six items measured general anxiety.…

Even in an educational tests and measurements classroom it is possible to stimulate student creativity and divergent thinking. Examples of projects and test constructions are given to provide food for thought for the creative teacher. (JN)

A computer-delivered problem-solving task based on cognitive research literature was developed and its validity for graduate admissions assessment was studied with 107 undergraduates. Use of the test, which asked examinees to sort word-problem stems by prototypes, was supported by the findings. (SLD)

Grounded in a review of existing theories and research on problem solving, the theoretical base and new instrument development efforts discussed in this publication have been sounded against the needs of an innovative, interdisciplinary curriculum project called Unified Science and Mathematics for Elementary Schools (USMES). It is the work on new…

An attempt was made to develop an objective instrument to assess a teacher's perceived engagement in reflective practice. A Reflective Teaching Instrument (RTI) was developed around three dimensions of reflective practice in teaching: (1) diagnosis (problem setting); (2) testing; and (3) personal causation. Indicators of each of the dimensions…

In recent years metacognition has been receiving increased attention in mathematics education. Special attention has been focused on metacognition and its essential role in achievement settings. The basic difficulty of the study on the field of metacognition is to develop and use valid tasks in order to measure metacognitive ability especially for…

Procedures for developing curriculum-based measurement (CBM) systems are presented as an approach to special education problem solving. CBM procedures are discussed within the context of a decision-making matrix, focusing on "what" and "how" to measure and how to use data. An example applies the method to reading-aloud…

The Professional and Administrative Career Examination measures judgment ability using comprehension and logical order of events item types. Since the verbal component of comprehension items is high, and since these items are extremely difficult to write and document, a search was conducted for a simpler item type for assessing judgment. Three…