The method of using person vectors in regression analysis to test repeated measures hypotheses or questions is discussed. These hypotheses involve designs with pre and post scores with one group and with multiple groups. Based on these analyses with person vectors, there are two major focuses of the paper: a proposed solution to the problem of…

The Classroom Communicator, an experimental machine built at Pennsylvania State College, is both a research and a mass teaching aid device. It will record and measure reactions of individuals in an audience, almost instantaneously, and will help improve the rate and effectiveness of learning. This report shows in detail that, to a large extent,…

The Cross-Cultural Attitude Inventory provides a means for measuring the degree of positive or negative feeling which Mexican-American and Angle students (ages 3 to 18) have for the two cultures. Present test validity is based on face validity and the rationale behind the item selection and construction procedures. The inventory also provides a…

Some stochastic approximation procedures are considered in relation to the problem of choosing a sequence of test questions to accurately estimate a given examinee's standing on a psychological dimension. Illustrations are given evaluating certain procedures in a specific context. (Author/CK)

This handbook provides a general introduction for the rater technician which includes information on working with the more severely mentally retarded and the purpose of the Balthazar Scales of Adaptive Behavior (BSAB). Technician qualifications, methodology, and general rating procedures are also discussed. The use of pre-base-line, base-line, and…

This volume was developed to enable local program personnel to determine the appropriateness of a test in relation to a child. No endorsements are made. For 68 preschool tests, the following information is presented when available: title, whether the test is for screening or verification, bibliographic information, descriptive information,…

Describes the advantages of the Cloze procedure for teaching composition where the context is restricted, i.e., in writing business letters and reports. Advantages include: ease of administration, no marking, immediate knowledge of results, feedback to teacher, adaptable scoring system, flexibility, opportunity for student correction, and…

Model checking is a crucial part of any statistical analysis. As educators tie models for testing to cognitive theory of the domains, there is a natural tendency to represent participant proficiencies with latent variables representing the presence or absence of the knowledge, skills, and proficiencies to be tested (Mislevy, Almond, Yan, &…

Kindergarten is a time for playful and enriching learning activities that support children's literacy emergence while enhancing their social and cognitive development. The routines of a busy, engaged, productive kindergarten classroom are vividly brought to life in this information-packed book. Demonstrated are whole-class and small group…

Item parameter estimates vary for a variety of reasons, including estimation error, characteristics of the examinee samples, and context effects (e.g., item location effects, section location effects, etc.). Although we expect variation based on theory, there is reason to believe that observed variation in item parameter estimates exceeds what…

Year-to-year rater variation may result in constructed response (CR) parameter changes, making CR items inappropriate to use in anchor sets for linking or equating. This study demonstrates how rater severity affected the writing and reading scores. Rater adjustments were made to statewide results using an item response theory (IRT) methodology…

In March 1996, the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) proposed to evaluate the Chicago Annenberg Challenge's (CAC) newly funded reform efforts in the Chicago public schools. The evaluation aimed to understand how schools involved in CAC efforts developed as organizations and, in turn, how these developments benefited students. The study…

To find ways to improve rater reliability of a tape-mediated speaking test for Japanese university students of English as a Second Language, two studies gathered information on: how raters actually made their choices on rating sheets of students' speaking ability; determined what criteria teachers think they use and actually use in rating…

This report describes the first of a series of research projects which will attempt to characterize the performance of Hawaii's public school system. The measure of performance was the 1992 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics examinations and their linked versions used in the 1991 International Assessment. The NAEP was…

This paper begins with a discussion of technology-supported activities to support meaningful learning and planning for a new research agenda. The remainder of the paper is a description of two prototype technology-based assessments developed to help address the dearth of appropriate student learning measures available to inquiry-oriented,…