A new test assembly algorithm based on a Monte Carlo random search is presented in this article. A major advantage of the Monte Carlo test assembly over other approaches (integer programming or enumerative heuristics) is that it performs a uniform sampling from the item pool, which provides every feasible item combination (test) with an equal…

This study investigated the statistical and practical significance of context effects for items randomized within testlets for administration during a series of computerized non-adaptive tests. One hundred and twenty-five items from four primary school reading tests were studied. Logistic regression analyses identified from one to four items for…

This study has investigated the comparability of computer-based testing writing prompts in the Test of English as a Foreign LanguageTM (TOEFL) for examinees of different native language backgrounds. A total of 81 writing prompts introduced from July 1998 through August 2000 were examined using a 3-step logistic regression procedure for ordinal…

In 1998, when University College Northampton (UCN) selected WebBoard as its campus-wide virtual learning environment (VLE) and encouraged its adoption, e-learning became a central feature of the French Department's learning and teaching strategy. By September 2003, all the campus-focused modules in French had become VLE-resourced. In April 2004,…

Diagnostic testing in mathematics has become a favoured tool at many universities. In this paper we report on a novel method of diagnostic testing which incorporates a paired question approach, with two questions being set on each of 20 different topics. It was introduced at Loughborough University for use with first year engineering students in…

This study assessed the comparability and reliability of paper-based and computer-based administration of psychosocial construct measures related to adolescents engaging in physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Adolescents (n = 76; 55% girls, 49% Hispanic, 18% non-Hispanic-white; M age = 13 years) completed measures of behavior change…

This article is the fourth contribution to a research methods series dedicated to getting "good results" from survey research. The intent of this article is to elaborate the selection and design decisions one must address when considering the use of a telephone survey as an alternative to the traditional postal survey that collects respondent data…

Finding, accessing, and determining the credibility of information are skills most people would deem necessary for the college educated person, if not the average citizen, to possess today. At the same time, educators, as well as constituents of educational institutions are asking for better and more sophisticated assessment instruments of…

e-Learning research is an expanding and diversifying field of study. Specialist research units and departments proliferate. Postgraduate courses recruit well in the UK and overseas, with an increasing focus on critical and research-based aspects of the field, as well as the more obvious professional development requirements. Following this year's…

Background: US schools employ an estimated 6.7 million workers and are thus an ideal setting for employee wellness programs. This article describes the characteristics of school employee wellness programs in the United States, including state-, district-, and school-level policies and programs. Methods: The Centers for Disease Control and…

Background: Family and community involvement in schools is linked strongly to improvements in the academic achievement of students, better school attendance, and improved school programs and quality. Method: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts the School Health Policies and Programs Study every 6 years. In 2006,…

Elements of network-based assessment systems are envisioned based on recent advances in knowledge and practice in learning theory, assessment design and delivery, and semantic web interoperability. The architecture takes advantage of the meditating role of technology as well as recent models of assessment systems. This overview of the elements…

This dissertation study examined the reliability and validity claims of a modified version of the Spanish Modern Language Association Foreign Language Proficiency Test for Teachers and Advanced Students administered at George Mason University (GMU). The study used the 1999 computerized GMU version that was administered to 277 test-takers via…

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. These measures, available as part of easyCBM[TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2007 and 2008 and administered to…

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. These measures, available as part of easyCBM[TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2007 and 2008 and administered to…