The Rasch Model is an item response theory, one parameter model developed that states that the probability of a correct response is a function of the difficulty of the item and the ability of the candidate. Item banking is useful for language testing. The Rasch Model provides estimates of item difficulties that are meaningful, irrespective of…

Multidimensionality is known to affect the accuracy of item parameter and ability estimations, which subsequently influences the computation of item characteristic curves (ICCs) and true scores. By judiciously combining sections of a Law School Admission Test (LSAT), 11 sections of varying degrees of uni- and multidimensional structures are used…

This study investigated whether differences in the dimensional structure of the form of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) across selected ethnic subgroups of test takers had any impact on equating results using an item response theory (IRT) true-score procedure. Whether there were any differences in the underlying latent trait composite across…

This book exposes the various manifestations of mistreatment of teachers by principals, offering practical solutions for its prevention and correction. Information comes from a study involving interviews with elementary and secondary teachers from rural, suburban, and urban areas across the United States and Canada. The book provides tools…

Person-fit statistics have been proposed to investigate the fit of an item score pattern to an item response theory (IRT) model. This study investigated how these statistics can be used to detect different types of misfit. Intelligence test data for 992 people at or beyond college level were analyzed using person-fit statistics in the context of…

Twenty-four Piagetian-based written items representing different forms (stages) of thought and different logical operations were solved by 553 participants from required introductory logic classes in a state university in a medium-sized midwestern city and from a suburban school district of that city. Responses to each item were scored by quality…

This paper argues that an individualist view of teaching and learning, based on a Cartesian world-view leads to the abdication of responsibility as educators of the emotions. A sociogenic perspective is proposed that urges that schools teach learners how to feel as well as how to learn. The classroom is a setting rich in opportunities for…

Taking off from the perception that the current critical climate blurs most meaningful distinctions between fiction and nonfiction, this book examines what happens when writers and readers encounter texts presented as nonfiction--texts that make some truth claim on outside experience, texts whose characters and events have at least some tangible…

The potential effect of survey timing on information about teaching employment rates for teacher education program graduates was studied. It is possible that the low rates found by some surveys are more a result of the time of the survey than of low response rate. A secondary purpose was to obtain information about the hiring practices of school…

This book is a collection of classroom-tested ideas for helping students explore how literature and "the canon" are made, what the term "American" means, and how the phrase "American literature" obscures the presence of multiple "literatures" that are both individually compelling and mutually enriching. Each…

An instructor uses a unique instructional paradigm in his MCOM 1003/Introduction to Mass Communication course at Southern Arkansas University (SAU) in a unit on media and politics. According to his students, one of the most popular learning strategies is the use of original edited videos that focus on dubious practices by some media professionals.…

This booklet of academic standards spells out what students should be able to do in Grade 9 English/Language Arts. The booklet gives examples to help students understand what is required to meet the standards and comes accompanied with a list of 10 things parents can do to help their child get a good education. It outlines the following seven…

This paper examines the responses of four high schools to new accountability policies in two states, New York and Vermont. In each state, one school that was better positioned with respect to the policy and one that was a target of the policy were studied. New York's policy attaches high stakes for students though the Regents high school exit…

Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) (E. Palmore, 1977) is an instrument that is used to educate, to measure learning, to test knowledge, to measure attitudes toward aging, and in research. A comparative analysis was performed between the FAQ I and its multiple choice version and the FAQ II and its multiple choice version in terms of their item…

This study guide covers the new television version of one of Mark Twain's most popular stories, "The Prince and the Pauper," the classic tale of two boys whose curiosity about each other's lives leads them to switch places and, in the process, learn valuable lessons about outward appearances and true compassion. The guide summarizes the…