A positive correlation has been found between laptops and student achievement. Laptops are similar to Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) in many respects. This study seeks to determine the effect of PDA usage on high school student academic achievement. It was hypothesized that a positive correlation between PDA usage and academic achievement in…

The validity of inferences based on achievement test scores is dependent on the amount of effort that examinees put forth while taking the test. With low-stakes tests, for which this problem is particularly prevalent, there is a consequent need for psychometric models that can take into account different levels of examinee effort. This article…

"Toxic Waste in Grand Banks" is an assessment task in which students from a high school economics class investigate the issues of economic prosperity, environmental concerns, government intervention in the market economy, and responsible civic participation in solving community problems. Students will demonstrate an ability--both individually and…

The purpose of this study was to examine empirical Type I error rates and rejection rates for three dimensionality assessment procedures with data sets simulated to reflect short tests and small samples. The TESTFACT G superscript 2 difference test suffered from an inflated Type I error rate with unidimensional data sets, while the approximate chi…

Because of perceived advantages, simulations are increasingly being used for performance-based training. This is a review of computer simulation as a learning tool, and its application within the context of disaster preparedness. Concepts from established learning theory are examined and research verifiable by empirical data is referenced. To…

One challenge associated with computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is the maintenance of test and item security while allowing for daily testing. An alternative to continually creating new pools containing an independent set of items would be to consider each CAT pool as a sample of items from a larger collection (referred to as a VAT) rather than…

Several recent studies have investigated the application of statistical inference procedures to the analysis of differential item functioning (DIF) in test items that are scored on an ordinal scale. Mantel's extension of the Mantel-Haenszel test is a possible hypothesis-testing method for this purpose. The development of descriptive statistics for…

This video contains the detailed description of the 1975 attempt to re-create the adventures of the first Polynesian explorers in the Pacific, a project in which Nainoa Thompson participated. Mr. Thompson, an educator who presents programs in "wavefinding," begins his address with an overview of Polynesian and Pacific geography, origins,…

This paper examines some characteristics of the statistics associated with the sampling distribution of the proficiency level estimate when the Rasch model is used. These characteristics allow the judgment of the meaning to be given to the proficiency level estimate obtained in adaptive testing, and as a consequence, they can illustrate the…

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that nearly 20 million Americans suffer from asthma, 6.3 million of which are children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). It is not merely an annoyance disease, as is commonly believed. Asthma kills. It takes more than 5,000 American lives each year (Asthma Statistics in America,…

There are many educational situations where the student learns by using a model and we are beginning to explore the benefits of using an interactive computer to give a greater understanding of the relationship between the model and the real situation, and also of the real situation. Article gives a broad introduction to applications in the field…

One of the most interesting aspects of the application of systems science to university administration is the use of simulation models in institutional research. This paper treats the benefits, implementation and prognosis of computer-assisted university administration with particular emphasis on university planning and cost simulation models. The…

Describes five activities designed to help students recognize and appreciate the factors directly involved in the process of fossilization. (JR)

Describes an exercise in which senior high school biology students used a computer to simulate genetic mapping. The exercise was designed to enhance the students' grasp of the concepts of linkage and crossing-over. (JR)