A Monte Carlo study examined the statistical performance of single sample and bootstrap methods that can be used to test and form confidence interval estimates of indirect effects in two cluster randomized experimental designs. The designs were similar in that they featured random assignment of clusters to one of two treatment conditions and…

In an effort to assess the level of community need and inform responsive resource allocation, Larimer County, Colorado developed a county-level index of well-being. This paper describes the development of that index including the selection of indicators and the methodology for scoring and presenting those indicators. We also present how the local…

In computer-based interactive environments meant to support learning, students must bring a wide range of relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities to bear jointly as they solve meaningful problems in a learning domain. To function effectively as an assessment, a computer system must additionally be able to evoke and interpret observable evidence…

This study explored the feasibility of a "Composite Drinking Scale" (CDS) designed to capture fully the phenomenon of problem drinking among college students while allowing easy public understanding. A survey conducted at 32 four-year U.S. colleges included four consumption measures: 30-day frequency; average number of drinks per week;…

Although most portfolio evaluation currently uses some adaptation of holistic scoring, the problems with scoring portfolios holistically are many, much more than for essays, and the problems are not readily resolvable. Indeed, many aspects of holistic scoring work against the principles behind portfolio assessment. We have from the start needed a…

A new sharing item response theory (SIRT) model is presented that explicitly models the effects of sharing item content between informants and test takers. This model is used to construct adaptive item selection and scoring rules that provide increased precision and reduced score gains in instances where sharing occurs. The adaptive item selection…

Three WISC-III protocols and a questionnaire were sent to individuals representative of varying levels and fields of education and who held different professional positions for scoring. Data analyses of the 126 sets of protocols revealed that the Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Similarities subtests were scored incorrectly most often. Analyses also…

In 1998, the University if Northern Colorado's General Education Council began to discuss ways of improving assessment of the general education program. Their search ended in a formal implementation of course-embedded assessment in all general education courses beginning in fall 2001. Course-embedded assessment is a classroom-based process that…

Higher education has been impacted significantly by the proliferation of online instruction. Despite this trend, empirical investigations of this delivery method have lagged. Many have documented the need for research on online student characteristics, yet current literature consists of personal teaching experiences and anecdotal observations. To…

The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Self-Report version (BRIEF-SR) is the first self-report measure of executive functioning for adolescents. With the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act authorization, there is a greater need for appropriate assessment of severely impaired children. Recent studies have…

The Test of Early Mathematics Ability--Third Edition (TEMA-3) is a norm-referenced parallel forms test intended to identify the level of mathematical ability for children aged 3 years 0 months through 8 years 11 months. According to the authors, the instrument can also be used as a criterion referenced or diagnostic tool for older students who are…

This article contends that the necessary links between constructs and test scores/decisions in language assessment must be established through principled design procedures that align three models: (1) a theoretical construct model; (2) a test development model; and (3) a psychometric scoring model. The theoretical construct model articulates the…

The major goal of this article is to provide teachers with a set of clear and concise recommendations as well as a model for developing effective instruments that will promote powerful learning opportunities for their students, and at the same time, improve their own teaching skills. Based on the author's experience, some of the most problematic…

We introduce a multidimensional item response theory (IRT) model for binary data based on a proximity response mechanism. Under the model, a respondent at the mode of the item response function (IRF) endorses the item with probability one. The mode of the IRF is the ideal point, or in the multidimensional case, an ideal hyperplane. The model…

This article reports on how an incorrectly graded licensing exam for prospective teachers has stalled hiring in some places, sent school districts rummaging through employment records, and spawned at least one lawsuit so far. Those affected by the mistake range from 35 test-takers in Georgia to roughly 1200 in Ohio. Eighteen states use the Praxis…