This study offers an approach to test equating under the latent D-scoring method (DSM-L) using the nonequivalent groups with anchor tests (NEAT) design. The accuracy of the test equating was examined via a simulation study under a 3 × 3 design by two conditions: group ability at three levels and test difficulty at three levels. The results for…

The paper proposes new measures of difficulty and discriminating values of binary items and test consisting of such items and find their relationships including estimation of test error variance and thereby the test reliability, as per definition using cosine similarities. The measures use entire data. Difficulty value of test and item is defined…

In this study we consider a classic paradox of infinity and its variations and suggest how the sources of misleading intuition can be analysed using the concept of uniform convergence of functions. We then examine how six mathematics honour students engage with a variation of the paradox. Despite their advanced mathematical training, the…

Although the correlation between general cognitive ability ("g") and performance on speeded cognitive tasks is well-established, there is need for a better understanding of how successive stages of processing contribute to this relationship. Previous research suggests that "g" is primarily associated with the rapidity of…

Subsequent recall is improved if students try to recall target material during study (self-testing) versus simply re-reading it. This effect is consistent with the notion of "desirable difficulties." If the learning experience involves difficulties that induce extra effort, then retention may be improved. Not all difficulties are…

This multiple case study investigates instructional designers' perceptions of online course quality, their use of cognitive load strategies when designing online courses, and whether utilization of these strategies contribute to online course quality. The participants of this study were instructional designers (n = 5) who worked in various campus…

Although multiple review studies have supported the superior effects of an external compared with internal focus, these reviews are based on performance outcomes. Currently, the literature lacks knowledge regarding the effects of external/internal foci on individuals' perceptions, which may provide further explanations for how attentional focus…

Within second language acquisition research, L2 development has been traditionally analyzed through the dimensions of Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency (CAF) (Larsen-Freeman, 2009; Ortega, 2003; Skehan, 2009). Complexity within the CAF framework has gained the most attention and has often been examined through measures associated with clausal…

Calls for high levels of participation and success in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) by all Australians exacerbates the need for research into improving participation in mathematics by students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Rogoff's three planes of analysis is used to foreground the institutional plane in a low…

In order to examine whether syntactic processing is a necessary prerequisite for semantic integration in Japanese, cortical activation was monitored while participants engaged in silent reading task. Congruous sentences (CON), semantic violation sentences (V-SEM), and syntactic violation sentences (V-SYN) were presented in the experiment. The…

Advances in embodied learning and the use of gesture has gained greater interest amongst educators and researchers in recent years. The emerging evidence supporting the use of physical enactment rather than just auditory modes of instruction remains unresolved. This paper investigates the pedagogical methods used by a science teacher instructing a…

Background: Coding has become an integral part of STEM education. However, novice learners face difficulties in processing codes within embedded structures (also termed nested structures). This study aimed to investigate the cognitive mechanism underlying the processing of embedded coding structures based on hierarchical complexity theory, which…

Research often examines cognitive load as it relates to direct instruction, worked examples and problem-solving combined as an integrated whole. The present study examines these strategies in isolation to see their effect on cognitive load. Using learning materials covering the basics of critical thinking to undergraduate law students (n = 160) at…

A better understanding of how distractor features influence the plausibility of distractors is essential for an efficient multiple-choice (MC) item construction in educational assessment. The plausibility of distractors has a major influence on the psychometric characteristics of MC items. Our analysis utilizes the nominal categories model to…

Citizen science's (CS) deployment and benefit over the last ten years have been remarkably substantial in their contributions to the massification of citizen participation in tech-based CS projects. Insights into how CS projects influence community changes through proposals of actions and public policies are essential to understanding how they…