Gender differences in performance on multiple-choice and constructed-response items in mathematics were studied with 3592 11th graders taking a high school graduation examination. Results suggest that gender differences in mathematics may be linked to content and item format, thus supporting the usefulness of a many-faceted Rasch model for…

In order to assess the impact of changes made by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, adult citizenship-education programs were examined nationwide. Far fewer programs were available to immigrants to Canada than in 1987. Content scope in citizenship-education programs has remained essentially unchanged or been reduced, and is heavily influenced by…

The effect of different item formats (multiple choice and open) on gender differences in test performance was studied for the Swedish Diagrams, Tables, and Maps (DTM) test with 90 secondary school students. The change to open format resulted in no reduction in gender differences on the DTM. (SLD)

A study evaluated use of Conceptests in a large pharmacy lecture course. Multiple-choice questions test students' ability to apply a concept presented in lecture to a situation not yet encountered. Students are presented with two or three Conceptests during each lecture, and must reevaluate responses after 15 minutes of additional lecture.…

Explores the relationship between the strategies second language learners use to interpret unfamiliar words in a target language. English-speaking learners of Japanese completed a beliefs questionnaire and multiple choice Kanji compounds test. Examined how learner beliefs are related to the ability to combine information from word parts and…

Considers how to use the World Wide Web for education. Topics include computer-based education initiatives; assessment, including multiple choice questions; a prototype Web site design based on a client-server model; and future work, including distance education and providing better graphic user interfaces. (LRW)

Recently, the popularity of timed-essay exams has increased, becoming part of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) in the late 1990s and now being incorporated into The College Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in Spring of 2005 and ACT (American College Testing) test in Fall of 2004. This research evaluates the "value…

A general Web-based system for use in education, the tutor-web, has been developed for storage and presentation of electronic slides for classroom use, along with reference material, examples and quizzes. The primary novelty of the system is the structured linkage between the various pieces of information, to maintain coherence and focus on the…

This study examined the predictive power of self-regulated strategies and test-taking motivation on achievement performances under consequential and non-consequential test conditions. Sixty-two undergraduate students were asked to take two parallel classroom tests: one that counted towards their class grade (consequential) and one that did not…

This paper presents the course of action and outcome of a teacher-based action research project concerning development and evaluation of an online introductory biology course for non-majors. The research took place in a small community college and compared online and traditional instructional formats. A course was developed in an entirely…

English contains many nominals that would be absent in Chinese because Chinese makes greater use of "zero anaphora," which is an empty grammatical slot in a sentence standing for a previously mentioned referent. Native Chinese and native English speakers were compared in comprehending modified English passages from a standardized reading test with…

This study assessed pre-service teachers' awareness of multicultural issues. Participants were 32 preservice teachers enrolled in a diversity course in the College of Education at the regional campus of a major university. Participants completed a 2-part questionnaire. Part A consisted of personal information such as age, gender, racial and ethnic…

Introduction: Fixed Learning Module (FLM) adopted in pathology teaching to medical undergraduates, encompasses exhibition of potted specimens and charts. Though it is an important teaching method it also has its limitations. Aim: To create an alternative method for teaching pathology using web based, interactive computer technology [i.e.,…

The purpose of the present study is to gain more insight into the relationship between students' approaches to learning and students' quantitative learning outcomes, as a function of the different components of problem-solving that are measured within the assessment. Data were obtained from two sources: the revised two factor study process…

The appropriate analysis of students' responses to an assessment is an essential step in improving the quality of the assessment itself as well as staff teaching and student learning. Many academics are unfamiliar with the formal processes used to analyze assessment results; the standard statistical methods associated with analyzing the validity…