Even though guessing biases difficulty estimates as a function of item difficulty in the dichotomous Rasch model, assessment programs with tests which include multiple-choice items often construct scales using this model. Research has shown that when all items are multiple-choice, this bias can largely be eliminated. However, many assessments have…

Depletion of limited working memory resources may occur following extensive mental effort resulting in decreased performance compared to conditions requiring less extensive mental effort. This "depletion effect" can be incorporated into cognitive load theory that is concerned with using the properties of human cognitive architecture,…

In recent years, readability formulas have gained new prominence as a basis for selecting texts for learning and assessment. Variables that quantitative tools count (e.g., word frequency, sentence length) provide valid measures of text complexity insofar as they accurately predict representative and high-quality criteria. The longstanding…

This study advances the understanding of the process by which students accept and use e-learning environments. This is a key aspect in studying the online behaviour of students, as it directly influences their conduct in their capacity as users of learning products. To address the lack of empirical data on the adoption of this type of learning…

A laboratory experiment was designed for upper-level undergraduate students in a bioanalytical course to demonstrate the concept of isoelectric point (pI) and the theoretical and practical applications of isoelectric focusing (IEF). This simple and inexpensive IEF procedure requires the same minigel SDS-PAGE equipment that is already available in…

Gamification can enhance learners' autonomous motivation and enable them to feel enthusiastic during the cognitive absorption process. Therefore, this study explores developing a productive mobile learning (m-learning) atmosphere that enables focused immersion students to learn, enhancing their gratification and decreasing their cognitive load, to…

Purpose: Children with specific language impairment (SLI) show particular deficits in the generation of sequenced action--the quintessential procedural task. Practiced imitation of a sequence may become rote and require reduced procedural memory. This study explored whether speech motor deficits in children with SLI occur generally or only in…

This article investigates how test-takers change their strategies to handle increased test difficulty. An adult sample reported their test-taking strategies immediately after completing the tasks in a reading test. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling specifying a measurement-invariant, ability-moderated, latent transition…

Mathematical modeling, a key strand in mathematics, engages students in rich, authentic, exciting, and culturally relevant problems and connects abstract mathematics to the surrounding world. In this, article, the authors describe a modeling activity that can be used when teaching linear equations. Modeling problems, in general, are typically high…

In STEM domains, students are expected to acquire domain knowledge from visual representations that they may not yet be able to interpret. Such learning requires perceptual fluency: the ability to intuitively and rapidly see which concepts visuals show and to translate among multiple visuals. Instructional problems that engage students in…

This paper reports the results of an investigation into the ways pre-service teachers engaged in structured problem solving as part of their first-year mathematics education course. The purpose of this study was to determine the preferred problem solving strategies of pre-service teachers and the types of difficulties they experienced. The written…

Teaching geometry courses for preservice elementary teachers, we observed that difficulty with classifying shapes (and, in particular, composite 3-D shapes) persists even after work with simple shapes to support the writing of accurate and unambiguous definitions. We conducted a self-study of our teaching of 3-D concepts to uncover the concept…

This study investigated first and second grade teachers' understanding of their students' skill in spelling words of varying difficulty. Specifically, teachers judged their students' item-by-item performance on a twelve-item spelling test adapted from a commercially available developmental spelling inventory. Results showed that teachers'…

"Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships," edited by Enrique Galindo and Jean Lee, supplies teachers with a challenging and rewarding new way to deeply engage their students in secondary mathematics. In project-based learning (PBL), students investigate and solve real-world issues through mathematics. This book describes the nuts and bolts…

Research suggests that promoting metacognitive awareness can increase performance in, and learning from, intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs). The current work examines the effects of two metacognitive prompts within iSTART, a reading comprehension strategy ITS in which students practice writing quality self-explanations. In addition to comparing…