The purpose of creating a developmental (i.e., vertical) score scale is to make it possible to compare students in terms of differences in magnitude. In other words, the scale should have interval properties. When this has been accomplished one can claim to measure growth in a sense that is both coherent and meaningful. In this paper I argue…

Test-based accountability is now the cornerstone of U.S. education policy, and it is becoming more important in many other nations as well. Educators sometimes respond to test-based accountability in ways that produce score inflation. In the past, score inflation has usually been evaluated by comparing trends in scores on a high-stakes test to…

This paper is based on the premise that little attention has been paid to learner preparedness for online language learning. We synthesized research on the broader topic of learner readiness for online learning, and attempt to apply those insights to the language learning context. Based on previous work, the demographic variables gender, student…

Bengali or Bangla is an Indo-Aryan language. It is the state language of West Bengal and Tripura and also spoken in some parts of Assam. Bangla is the official language of Bangladesh. With nearly 230 million speakers (Wikipedia 2010), Bangla is one of the most spoken language in the world. Bangla language is the most commonly used language in West…

Prior research using a 167-item measure of career indecision (Career Indecision Profile-167 [CIP-167]) has suggested that career choice difficulties may be associated with four major sources of career indecision: neuroticism/negative affectivity, choice/commitment anxiety, lack of readiness, and interpersonal conflicts. The purpose of this study…

Development and Implementation of a Video-Based Physical Activity Preference Assessment for Children with Autism and Their Parents Individuals with autism often lack the necessary motivation to engage in physical activity. In addition, due to the characteristics defining autism, such as deficits in social skills, motor coordination, and behavior,…

In 2008, the initial cycle of the OECD's Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2008) established, for the first time, an international, large-scale survey of the teaching workforce, the conditions of teaching, and the learning environments of schools in participating countries. The second cycle of TALIS (TALIS 2013) aims to continue…

This study assesses the psychometric properties of a newly tested self-report assessment tool for media literacy, based on the twelve new media literacy skills (NMLs) developed by Jenkins et al. (2006). The sample (N = 327) consisted of normal volunteers who completed a comprehensive online survey that measured their NML skills, media exposure,…

This article presents a case study incorporating English teachers' perspectives into the development of a large-scale international English assessment, the recently developed "TOEFL Junior"® Comprehensive test. It discusses how stakeholder feedback gathered during test development supports the validity argument for score interpretation…

A scale was developed to measure perceptions of sexual abuse in youth sports by assessing (a) the perceived prevalence of sexual abuse committed by pedophilic youth sport coaches, (b) the perceived likelihood that a coach is a pedophile, (c) perceptions on how youth sport organizations should manage the risk of pedophilia, and (d) media influence…

The purposes of this study were to develop and to conduct an initial psychometric evaluation of the Interactive Whiteboard Acceptance Scale (IWBAS). The process of item-generation for the IWBAS was carried out through the sequential mixed-method approach. A total of 149 student teachers from a teacher-education institution in Australia…

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is a rapidly evolving area of scientific innovation and an issue receiving global attention. Attempts to devise usable instruments that assess people's attitudes towards this innovation have been rare and non-systematic. The aim of this paper is to present the development and validation of the genetically…

This research was conducted to determine the effects of high scientific literacy, self-efficacy, and achievement motivation on teachers' ability to compose effective tests. It was conducted among junior high school science teachers in Manado, North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, from April to September 2011, using a cross-sectional survey design.…

Results from state and national surveys suggest that behaviors such as cursing at others, verbal threats, and intimidation are among the most prevalent forms of aggression on school campuses. A behavior that attacks a person's self-concept to cause psychological harm, Verbal Aggression (VA) leads to many undesirable outcomes for both the victim…

The purpose of this study was to develop three school-based assessments and determine the content validity for each assessment. The School Activities and Participation Analysis-Elementary (SAPA-E) measures functional movement performance in children with physical disability attending the elementary school, and the School Activities and…