Experiencing large differences between pre-k and kindergarten classroom contexts may affect children's academic development as they start school. This study examined differences between classroom contexts in pre-k and kindergarten (teacher-child interactions, time on academic content, and academic rigor) and associations with literacy, language,…

This interdisciplinary study examines faculty members' various understandings of writing pedagogies across the curriculum to foster global citizens from the perspective of "soka," or value creation. Broadly, value-creating global citizenship pedagogy develops students' skills and knowledge for the purpose of socioecological good.…

This dissertation explored whether unnecessary linguistic complexity (LC) in mathematics and biology assessment items changes the direction and significance of differential item functioning (DIF) between subgroups emergent bilinguals (EBs) and English proficient students (EPs). Due to inconsistencies in measuring LC in items, Study One adapted a…

In the current study, the validity of C-Test is investigated using the construct identification approach. Based on construct identification approach, the factors which are deemed to affect item difficulty in C-Test items were identified. To this aim, 11 factors were selected to enter into Linear Logistic Testing Model (LLTM) analysis to…

Two experiments used eyetracking during reading to examine the processing of the matrix verb following object and subject relative clauses. The experiments show that the processing of the matrix verb following an object relative is indeed slowed compared to the processing of the same verb following a subject relative. However, this difficulty is…

Large-scale learner corpora collected from online language learning platforms, such as the EF-Cambridge Open Language Database (EFCAMDAT), provide opportunities to analyze learner data at an unprecedented scale. However, interpreting the learner language in such corpora requires a precise understanding of tasks: How does the prompt and input of a…

Measuring attitudes and opinions employing agree/disagree (A/D) questions is a common method in social research because it appears to be possible to measure different constructs with identical response scales. However, theoretical considerations suggest that A/D questions require a considerable cognitive processing. Item-specific (IS) questions,…

Working memory is a cognitive system that allows for the simultaneous storage and processing of active information. While working memory has been implicated as an important element for success in many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, its specific role in geoscience learning is not fully understood. The major goal of…

In multiple-choice tests, the quality of distractors may be more important than their number. We therefore examined the joint influence of distractor quality and quantity on test functioning by providing a sample of 5,793 participants with five parallel test sets consisting of items that differed in the number and quality of distractors.…

The performance of various classical test theory (CTT) item discrimination estimators has been compared in the literature using both empirical and simulated data, resulting in mixed results regarding the preference of some discrimination estimators over others. This study analyzes the performance of various item discrimination estimators in CTT:…

Although the number of English Language Learner students is increasing in the US school system, little is known about the preferences of language of instruction, particularly among young students with autism. We implemented a choice assessment with five children with autism to determine preference between English and Spanish instruction using a…

This study focuses on how students in different postsecondary mathematics courses perform on domain and range tasks regarding graphs of functions. Students often seem to focus on notable aspects of a graph and fail to see the graph in its entirety. Many students struggled with piecewise functions, especially those involving horizontal segments.…

This study examines the process of judging complex real-life events in Israel: the disengagement from Gush Katif, Rabin's assassination and the Second Lebanon War. The process of judging is based on Weiner's attribution model, (Weiner, 2000, 2006); however, due to the complexity of the events studied, variables were added to characterize the…

Visual categorization is ubiquitous in many professions, yet training programs are typically time- and effort-intensive. This work focuses on developing methods to improve human learning and performance on challenging visual categorization tasks, e.g., bird species identification, diagnostic dermatology. As part of the general approach, we infer…

The purpose of the present small-scale study was to investigate the factor structure of an adapted, 13-item subjective English cognitive load scale in a fully online learning context. To serve this purpose, adult online learners enrolled in a fully online graduate program completed the adapted English cognitive load scale at the end of an…