High-Stakes Testing for Students With Mathematics Difficulty

Laboratory practical exams are a component of knowledge-based assessment for first-year medical students in our Patient-Centered Learning (PCL) curriculum and have historically been constructed in a selected response (multiple choice) format. This study was conducted in order to address influences that question stimulus and/or response formats may have on assessment of student learning in a teaching laboratory setting. A neuroscience laboratory practical exam, previously included as an actual part of PCL assessment, was offered as a pre-exam, self-assessment exercise to two classes of students who were completing the Year 1 neuroscience curriculum. Randomized groups of students received the exercise in either selected-response or constructed-response (fill-in-the-blank) formats and student performance results were compared. Students performed significantly better on the exercise constructed in selected-response format. Comparisons of individual item difficulty and discrimination indices indicated that while asking a student to reflect on multiple options and come to an informed decision about the answer they choose is valid and reliable, “cueing” based on recognition and recall rather than depth of knowledge and understanding can explain student performance differences, raising legitimate issues for continuous improvement in curriculum and assessment. Supported by UNDSMHS.

The Cognitive Reflection Test, measuring intuition inhibition and cognitive reflection, has become extremely popular because it reliably predicts reasoning performance, decision-making, and beliefs. Across studies, the response format of CRT items sometimes differs, based on the assumed construct equivalence of tests with open-ended versus multiple-choice items (the equivalence hypothesis). Evidence and theoretical reasons, however, suggest that the cognitive processes measured by these response formats and their associated performances might differ (the nonequivalence hypothesis). We tested the two hypotheses experimentally by assessing the performance in tests with different response formats and by comparing their predictive and construct validity. In a between-subjects experiment (n = 452), participants answered stem-equivalent CRT items in an open-ended, a two-option, or a four-option response format and then completed tasks on belief bias, denominator neglect, and paranormal beliefs (benchmark indicators of predictive validity), as well as on actively open-minded thinking and numeracy (benchmark indicators of construct validity). We found no significant differences between the three response formats in the numbers of correct responses, the numbers of intuitive responses (with the exception of the two-option version, which had a higher number than the other tests), and the correlational patterns of the indicators of predictive and construct validity. All three test versions were similarly reliable, but the multiple-choice formats were completed more quickly. We speculate that the specific nature of the CRT items helps build construct equivalence among the different response formats. We recommend using the validated multiple-choice version of the CRT presented here, particularly the four-option CRT, for practical and methodological reasons. Supplementary materials and data are available at https://osf.io/mzhyc/ .

Written assessments in the form of constructed response formats (CRF) have widespread use in medical undergraduate assessments in India. The use of CRF in the present system has many threats to validity. Construct under-representation (CU) problems include non-adherence to the blueprint while setting of question papers and assessment of only the lowest levels in the cognitive domain. Construct irrelevant variability (CIV) issues include the use of ambiguous language while framing questions, high inter-rater variability due to the absence of model answers or scoring rubrics and the recency effect. Other factors such as time constraints, financial issues and cognitive biases also contribute to CIV. The criterion for passing has been arbitrarily set at 50% without any justifiable evidence. Construct under-representation problems can be remedied by training question paper setters to use blueprints and monitoring whether these are being adhered to. This will also address the current tendency to assess only recall. Pre-validation by a group of anatomy and medical education experts will ensure that the questions are framed using appropriate language. Model answers will reduce inter-rater variability. Other methods that could reduce cognitive biases include shuffling the order of answer papers when scoring and correcting each answer across all the students. Validated methods of criterion referencing could also be used to set acceptable passing scores. These changes could initially be implemented at the departmental level in formative assessments. To remedy other factors contributing to CIV, such as financial and time constraints would involve major organisational changes, which may be difficult to implement.

Assessing students’ critical thinking performance: Urging for measurements using multi-response format

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of religiously charged pictorial story teaching materials on learning achievement. The subject of this research was the 1st-grade students of SD Neg. 31 Pusuea with a total of 14 students. The teaching material used is a picture book containing religious values. This study used experimental research methods with the research design used as pre-experiment one group pre-test-posttest. The test questions were in the form of multiple choices with a total of 20 questions. Data analysis used Normalized Gain Test. The results showed that the total pretest score of all students was 1890 and the total post-test score of all students was 2480. These results were processed using the N-Gain formula and reached a value of 0.53 with the interpretation of "Medium", with these results there was a significant increase in student achievement by using illustrated story teaching materials with religious values. It can be concluded that teaching materials containing religious values are effective on student achievement in grade 1 SD Neg. 31 Pusuea

The use of response formats in assessments of medical knowledge and clinical reasoning continues to be the focus of both research and debate. In this article, we report on an experimental study in which we address the question of how much list-type selected response formats and short-essay type constructed response formats are related to differences in how test takers approach clinical reasoning tasks. The design of this study was informed by a framework developed within cognitive psychology which stresses the importance of the interplay between two components of reasoning—self-monitoring and response inhibition—while solving a task or case. The results presented support the argument that different response formats are related to different processing behavior. Importantly, the pattern of how different factors are related to a correct response in both situations seem to be well in line with contemporary accounts of reasoning. Consequently, we argue that when designing assessments of clinical reasoning, it is crucial to tap into the different facets of this complex and important medical process.

Some elementary students may exhibit challenging externalizing or internalizing behaviors in addition to difficulty with mathematics. In this study, we explored the behavioral patterns of 441 third-grade students with and without mathematics difficulty (MD). Compared with students without MD, students with MD demonstrated higher rates of externalizing and internalizing behaviors. We then randomly assigned 162 third-grade students with MD to receive a 10-week word-problem intervention or to be in a business-as-usual comparison group. Within the word-problem intervention, students with MD who exhibited higher occurrences of externalizing behaviors performed significantly lower on a word-problem measure than students without as many occurrences of externalizing behaviors. Response to the word-problem intervention did not differ based on internalizing behavior patterns.

This study aims to determine differences in student learning outcomes between cooperative learning model type Two Stay Two Stray (TSTS) with Group Investigation (GI) model on science learning in grade V SDN 060934 Medan Academic Year 2017/2018. This research is a comparative research with experimental method. The population in the study were the students of class V consisting of 2 classes amounting to 44 people. Sampling is done by saturated sampling that is all members of the population used as a sample of 2 classes. The experiment class 1 is 22 students and the experiment 2 class is 22 students. The instrument used to know the student's learning result is the test of learning result in multiple choice form. Keywords : Learning Outcomes, Two Stay Two Stray Cooperative Model, Group Investigation.

This chapter chronicles ETS contributions related to the use of constructed-response item formats. The use of constructed-response formats in testing dates back to imperial China, where tests were used in the selection of civil servants. In the United States, the multiple-choice format became dominant during the twentieth century. When ETS was founded in 1947, postsecondary admissions testing was largely based on tests consisting of such items. However, from the start, there were two camps at ETS: those staff members who believed that multiple-choice tests were sufficient for assessing "verbal" skills and those members who believed that "direct" forms of assessment requiring written responses were critical. For the use of constructed-response formats to be feasible, several challenges would need to be overcome. Research at ETS was instrumental in overcoming those challenges.

The objectives of this study were, 1) to determine the mathematics learning outcomes of SDIT Khairur Rahman students without using the Quizizz application-based paper mode, 2) the use of the Quizizz application-based paper mode, 3) the significant effect of using the Quizizz application-based paper mode on the learning outcomes of SDIT Khairur Rahman students. This research methodology uses quantitative research using the Quasi Experiment method (pseudo experiment) which is a development of the true experiment design. This research was conducted at SDIT Khairur Rahman, located on Jl. Arief Rahman Hakim Gg. Sukahati No. 1 Kel. Tegal Sari III, Kec. Medan Area, Medan City, North Sumatra. The population and sample of this study were all 3rd grade students consisting of 2 classes, namely the experimental class and the control class totaling 52 students. The test instruments used were pre-test and post-test in the form of multiple choice. The type of data analysis carried out by analyzing the Paired Sample T-Test test. The results of this study indicate 1) student learning outcomes without using the Quizizz application-based paper mode obtained an average pre-test score of 32.08 and post-test 63.96. 2) student learning outcomes using the Quizizz application-based paper mode obtained an average pre-test value of 48.00 and post-test 91.80. 3) there is an effect of using paper mode based on the Quizizz application on the learning outcomes of SDIT Khairur Rahman students. This is evidenced by the results of the Paired Sample T-Test test Sig value. 0.00 <0.05 so that Ha is accepted and Ho is rejected. Thus, the use of paper mode based on the Quizizz application can be applied by teachers to improve student learning outcomes.

This research goal was to determine the validity and reliability of the Maritime English proficiency test conducted by PUKP 02 in Banten Merchant Marine Polytechnic. The questions were given in the form of multiple choices. This research is categorized as descriptive analysis because it is intended to describe the level of difficulty, distraction power, validity, and reliability of the Maritime English test for third-grade students in the Maritime vocational school in the 2019/2020 academic year by analyzing the validity and reliability of each item. This study concludes: 1) The Validity for the nautical studies there were 43 item items or 71.66% of the total were valid. In the Engineering studies, there are 41 items or 68.33% of the total were valid. 2) The nautical reliability was found to be 0.5968, while for the technical department of 0.6789, the figures were at intervals of 0.40 to 0.70 with moderate interpretation. Thus, it can be concluded that the Maritime English proficiency test has sufficient validity and reliability.

This study applied classical measurement theory to investigate the measurement characteristics of both parts of the Finding Embedded Figures Test (FEFT), when the test is administered in either a "no guessing" supply format or a multiple-choice selection format, and when the FEFT is administered to either undergraduate college students or to middle-school students. Coefficient alpha for the FEFT ranged between 0.81 and 0.90 across samples and administration formats. Items generally had desirable psychometric characteristics across studies.

Mathematics is a field of study that plays a vital role in various aspects of life. As an essential part of education, students are expected to have good mathematical abilities, including the ability to solve mathematical problems. However, they are less able to think critically when solving problems. This is supported by the finding that if the questions given are in the form of multiple choices, they are fully answered, while if the questions given are in the form of essays, many questions are not answered by students. This study uses a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. This research was conducted at SDN 124388 Pematangsiantar with a sample of 3 fifth-grade students. The data analysis technique in this study used various methods such as interviews, tests, observations, and documentation. Mathematical abilities in solving mathematical problems related to the area and circumference of flat shapes showed striking differences between SR, YN, and EFS students. SR students showed high mathematical abilities, YN had a moderate ability level, and EFS had low skills. This difference is reflected in the analysis of tests, interviews, and observations that the researcher has carried out. Students with high mathematical abilities master the problems in all three questions well. Students can systematically formulate problem-solving plans for the three questions. Students are careful in implementing problem-solving plans and re-checking the problem-solving steps for the three questions. Students classified as having moderate mathematical abilities can only master the problems in the three questions correctly while planning to problem-solve, implementing problem-solving plans, and re-checking the problem-solving steps are not yet able to be implemented so accurately.

Selected-response (SR) formats (e.g. multiple-choice questions) and constructed-response (CR) formats (e.g. short-answer questions) are commonly used to test the knowledge of examinees. Scores on SR formats are typically higher than scores on CR formats. This difference is often attributed to examinees being cued by options within an SR question, but there could be alternative explanations. The purpose of this study was to expand on previous work with regards to the cueing effect of SR formats by directly contrasting conditions that support cueing versus memory of previously seen questions. During an objective structured clinical examination, students (n = 144) completed two consecutive stations in which they were presented with the same written cases but in different formats. Group 1 students were presented with CR questions followed by SR questions. Group 2 students were presented with questions in reverse order. Participants were asked to describe their testing experience. Selected-response scores (M = 4.21/10) were statistically higher than the CR scores (M = 3.82/10). However, there was no significant interaction between sequence and format (F(1,142) = 1.59, p = 0.21, ηp2 = 0.01) with scores increasing from 3.49/10 to 4.06/10 in the group that started with CR and decreasing (4.38/10-4.15/10) in the group that started with SR first. Correlations between SR scores and CR scores were high (CR first = 0.78, SR first = 0.89). Questionnaire results indicated that students felt the SR format was easier and led to cueing. To better understand test performance, it is important to know how different response formats could influence results. Because SR scores were higher than CR scores, irrespective of the format seen first, the pattern is consistent with what would be expected if cueing rather than memory for prior questions led to higher SR scores. This could have implications for test designers, especially when selecting question formats.

Reviews Practical English Structure, Marcia Bordman, Patricia Byrd, and Bernadene Schlein, Vol. 1, 200 pp., Vol. 2, 223 pp., Vol. 3, 219 pp., $9.95 each, Gallaudet College Press, Kendall Green, Washington, D.C. 20002, 1977. Written specifically to address the structural language needs of hearing-impaired high school and college students, this series of textbooks is strongly influenced by English as a Second Language (ESL) approaches to grammar instruction . While the authors emphasize that the texts should not be considered remedial in nature, the content and exercises appear to be designed for use with intermediate English students in need of systematic structural practice and drill work. The authors transform the traditional ESL oral approach into a totally written response format that stresses contextual usage through three basic types of exercises: controlled sentences, guided paragraphs, and vocabulary skill checks. Each chapter begins with a vocabulary check which consists of the presentation of a sentence containing an idiomatic phrase. Students are required to select the meaning of the idiom from four possible options written in a multiple-choice format . This exercise emphasizes the use of contextual clues. The content of these exercises does not appear to be integrated into the content of the remainder of the chapter. Controlled sentence exercises are introduced at this point. Students are instructed to examine sample sentences and then to respond in writing with appropriate similar, transformed, or expanded structures. Finally, guided paragraphs are provided which the students are instructed to read and respond to with content-specific tasks. Each lesson (chapter) has clearly stated objectives for both the student and the teacher. A variety of constructions are presented that range from simple practice with articles in a variety of contexts to complex manipulations of clauses. The organization of the books' content could be a source of confusion to the reader because grammatical construction is dealt with in a number of different chapters and levels. Each of these chapters may present a different syntactic environment or context for the structure and may provide the student with highly specific information and opportunities for practice . Overall, this type of organization could lead to difficulty when trying to adapt these books for use in a total language development program . The books are cumulative in nature; the content is age appropriate; and the illustrations are cleverly drawn and integrated into the books. A cumulative index of the content of all volumes is located at the end of each text. Books such as these can be extremely useful as part of an English language program for adults and young adults who are hearing impaired: a population which has been without appropriate materials for far too long. Margaret H. Finnegan, M.S. Ed. Temple University Philadelphia, PA 19119 Communication Programming for the Severely Handicapped: Vocal and Non-Vocal Strategies, Caroline R. Musselwhite, Ed. D., CCC, and Karen H. St. Louis, M.S., CCC, 325 pp., $29.50, College-Hill Press, 4580-E Alvarado Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92120, 1982. The authors have compiled a wealth of information in a comprehensive, practical source book which covers vocal and nonvocal strategies for a wide variety of persons with severe communication disorders. The book will be most useful to speech-language pathologists and special educators. Part I discusses the decision process, issues in communication training, preliminary training strategies, and supportive services. An overview of issues and selected vocal language programs comprises Part II. Part III describes in some depth a wide variety of nonvocal communication systems: "gestural" communication such as Blissymbols, rebus, and words. Part IV, the appendices, comprises one third of the book. It is extremely useful even for the more knowledgeable reader. Appendix A is an annotated bibliography of recent literature in programming for the severely handicapped. Appendix B reviews 25 selected communication programs. In Appendix C, publications and services provided by organizations and agencies are described. Appendix D is a descriptive list of assessment tools and procedures. The strength of this book is the wide coverage of a broad topic in a very practical manner. The appendices are invaluable. It is an excellent resource book from which readers can further explore various areas according to their interests. Mata B. Jaffe, Ph...