The idea of student engagement as a predictor of student success was first introduced by Alexander Astin (1974; 1984) who studied student involvement. The connection of student involvement and student success has led to the focus on student and how we measure it to ensure that institutions are doing all they can to improve outcomes. Nothing has…

E-assessments are becoming increasingly common and progressively more complex. Consequently, how these longer, more complex questions are designed and marked is imperative. This article uses the NUMBAS e-assessment tool to investigate the best practice for creating longer questions and their mark schemes on surveying modules taken by engineering…

The adaptive learning environment provides learning support that suits individual characteristics of students, and the student model of the adaptive learning environment is the key element to promote individualized learning. This paper provides a systematic overview of the existing student models, consequently showing that the Elo rating system…

Screening items for parameter drift helps protect against serious validity threats and ensure score comparability when equating forms. Although many high-stakes credentialing examinations operate with small sample sizes, few studies have investigated methods to detect drift in small sample equating. This study demonstrates that several newly…

In line with the journal volume's theme, this essay considers lessons from the past and visions for the future of test validity. In the first part of the essay, a description of historical trends in test validity since the early 1900s leads to the natural question of whether the discipline has progressed in its definition and description of test…

It is said that working on forgiveness in psychological counseling will significantly benefit the individual, taking into account the good consequences of forgiving on the individual. This study aimed to develop a measurement tool for determining self-efficacy to work on forgiveness in counseling (SSWOFIC). The most commonly regarded forgiveness…

This article discusses visual techniques for detecting test items that would be optimal to be selected to the final compilation on the one hand and, on the other hand, to out-select those items that would lower the quality of the compilation. Some classic visual tools are discussed, first, in a practical manner in diagnosing the logical,…

Researchers frequently use Mokken scale analysis (MSA), which is a nonparametric approach to item response theory, when they have relatively small samples of examinees. Researchers have provided some guidance regarding the minimum sample size for applications of MSA under various conditions. However, these studies have not focused on item-level…

The generalized S-X[superscript 2]-test is a test of item fit for items with polytomous responses format. The test is based on a comparison of the observed and expected number of responses in strata defined by the test score. In this article, we make four contributions. We demonstrate that the performance of the generalized S-X[superscript 2]-test…

In the Attentional Boost Effect (ABE), words or images encoded with to-be-detected target squares are later recognized better than words or images encoded with to-be-ignored distractor squares. The present study sought to determine whether the ABE enhanced the encoding of the item-specific and relational properties of the studied words by using…

Abstract This study proposes a new Bayesian differential item functioning (DIF) detection method using posterior predictive model checking (PPMC). Item fit measures including infit, outfit, observed score distribution (OSD), and Q1 were considered as discrepancy statistics for the PPMC DIF methods. The performance of the PPMC DIF method was…

The present study examined the Italian version of the Work as Meaning Inventory and Work as Meaning Inventory for University students through a network perspective. Network analysis was applied to 505 Italian workers assessed via the Work as Meaning Inventory and 214 Italian university students assessed via the Work as Meaning Inventory for…

It is desirable for an educational assessment to be constructed of items that can differentiate different performance levels of test takers, and thus it is important to estimate accurately the item discrimination parameters in either classical test theory or item response theory. It is particularly challenging to do so when the sample sizes are…

Although list-style open-ended questions generally help us gain deeper insights into respondents' thoughts, opinions, and behaviors, the quality of responses is often compromised. We tested a dynamic and a follow-up design to motivate respondents to give higher quality responses than with a static design, but without overburdening them. Our…

Differential item functioning (DIF) occurs when the probability of endorsing an item differs across groups for individuals with the same latent trait level. The presence of DIF items may jeopardize the validity of an instrument; therefore, it is crucial to identify DIF items in routine operations of educational assessment. While DIF detection…