<p> This dissertation examined the College-Ready Teaching Framework (CRTF), a multiple measure teacher effectiveness rubric created by Green Dot Public Schools. The purpose of the dissertation was to determine whether or not the CRTF as a whole or in part could account for differences in student outcomes (California Standards Test [CST] scores, student growth percentile [SGP], and grade point average [GPA]). The study included teachers and students at Green Dot during the 2012-2013 school year. Correlational analyses were used to determine if there was a relationship between student achievement outcomes and the CRTF. Factor analysis was used to discover other Factors in addition to the CRTF's original five Domains. Multiple regression and step-wise regression were employed to determine if a combination of indicators, Domains, or Factors could predict student scores. The results of the findings showed that overall there were no relationships between Teacher Effectiveness Score (TES), Teacher Observation Score (TObs), and student outcome metrics (SGP, CST, and GPA). Disaggregating the dataset for math, science, and history separately, however, moderate relationships emerged between TES, TObs, SGP, and CST. Four additional Factors emerged from factor analysis that were similar to the original theoretical Domains created by CRTF designers; however. neither the original Domains nor the additional Factors were related to student outcomes. Finally, no regression model was found to hold any practical significance as no combination of indicators, Domains, or Factors accounted for more than 19.5% of the variation in student outcomes. The findings of this study are largely consistent with similar studies in the research literature where correlation analysis has been promising, yet inconsistent. The results of this study represent the addition of the CRTF to the research literature. Future research on the study of the effect of professional development and the impact of various weights of the CRTF composite score are recommended.</p>

<p> Increasingly, educational reform efforts are turning towards data-driven decision making strategies to help teachers improve instruction through skills-based instruction/content that is both measurable and aligned to common rigorous standards, such as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Examining the impact of a formative online assessment system on a summative measurement of student achievement may provide evidence that data-driven instructional platforms can impact student achievement and learning outcomes. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of Vygotsky and Dewey, along with the concepts of multiple intelligence, constructivism, and mastery learning, this study examined the relationship between student scores from an online formative assessment administered quarterly and an end-of-year summative evaluation. A stepwise multiple regression analyzed the predictive power of the iReady formative assessment program towards archived SAT-10 reading and mathematics data among Grades 1-4 students, before and after the iReady program was implemented (<i>N</i> = 339). The results showed a significant relationship between the iReady program and SAT-10, explaining 11.6% of the variance in SAT-10 scores. The study's intended audience is educators, school districts, and policy makers who are using the achievement data produced by formative assessments to improve results on measures of academic achievement, leading to positive social change.</p>

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether an instructional materials formative evaluation model that incorporated both payoff and intrinsic criteria resulted in more effective training materials in an instructor-led environment than a model relying on intrinsic criteria alone. Two revised versions of materials were developed and delivered in a classroom setting. Version X$\sb1$ was revised using intrinsic criteria only, and Version X$\sb2$ on the basis of both intrinsic criteria and student data. / The study focused on the effects of these two versions in both a highly and less-controlled environment. The dependent measures were learner performance and attitude, trainer attitude, trainer effectiveness, and trainee intent to use the skills on the job. / Due to low test reliability in both environments, the posttest results were not interpretable. Participant intent to use course skills was not interpretable due to a ceiling effect. / Trainers' attitudes toward the course were more positive for Version X$\sb2$. The results for trainer effectiveness were mixed. In the highly controlled environment, the ratings for this indicator were higher for Version X$\sb2$ for one trainer, but not the other. In the less-controlled environment, the trainers for Version X$\sb2$ were rated slightly higher in most categories for both modules. A comparison of trainer delivery revealed that better trainers performed equally well delivering bother versions. Some of the weaker trainers were rated significantly higher in their delivery of Version X$\sb2$ for some categories. / Learner attitudes were more positive for Version X$\sb2$ in the highly controlled setting. In the less-controlled environment, the ratings for Version X$\sb2$ were mixed. These results indicate that the use of payoff data as a basis for revision decisions is likely to result in instruction that is better received by trainers and learners. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-02, Section: A, page: 0416. / Major Professor: Robert A. Reiser. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

This study's purpose was to investigate the dimensionality of a test containing multiple-choice (MC) and student-produced-response (SPR) item formats. Parallel tests (SPR and MC) were developed to assess skills for Florida's 1994 High School Competency Test (HSCT). Each test contained nine items selected or prepared parallel to those in the contrasting test and corresponding to a HSCT skill. Both SPR and MC tests were administered to 556 tenth graders enrolled in Florida high schools. / Five analyses attempted to determine the dimensionality of the test. Exploring the test's unidimensionality, confirmatory factor analyses were performed, followed by higher order factor analyses, and a modified parallel analysis. To explore potential content factors, principal component analyses of the total item set and for each section of the test (SPR and MC) were conducted, as well as a multi-dimensional scaling analysis. / Analyses indicate, to varying degrees, that the test is sufficiently unidimensional for measurement purposes. Results of the second order analysis and the modified parallel analysis offer a qualified yes to whether this test could be considered unidimensional enough to be analyzed using IRT procedures. No format factors were present in the study. The question regarding similarity of content for the two item formats resulted in unexpected process factors for both item formats, however, findings were tentative. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-03, Section: A, page: 0799. / Major Professor: Jacob G. Beard. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

This study was designed to compare traditional and nontraditional full-time degree-seeking students' regression equations and validity coefficients across five Florida post-secondary institutions. The single multiple regression method with dummy variables was selected to compare the two groups' regression planes across institutions (FSU, UF, UCF, USF, and FAMU), within age groups, and between age groups within institutions. The multiple partial statistic was selected to test for the interaction effect between the two indicator variables (Age and Institutions) and the three main effects (HSGPA, SATV and SATQ). The across institutions and within age groups validity coefficients variability of the high school grade point average and the Scholastic Aptitude Test verbal and quantitative scores was investigated, using meta-analysis methodology. / A sample of 883 students was retrieved from the State University System (SUS) students' files. With the exception of age, all the students were selected to be equivalent on the following characteristics: full-time enrollment, first time in college, degree-seeking, and accepted under regular admission policies. This selection procedure limited the sample size of the nontraditional group of students and, therefore, generalizations regarding the results of this study should be made cautiously. / It was concluded that a common prediction system was not practical and that a separate prediction system should be developed for each of the two groups compared within the five postsecondary institutions included in this study. The findings showed possible systematic overprediction or underprediction of the nontraditional students' performance in college when using a traditional student-derived regression equation to predict nontraditional students' performance. It was also apparent that nontraditional students' high school grade point average and traditional students' Scholastic Aptitude Test quantitative validity coefficients varied from institution to institution. There was no variation across institutions or within age groups of the Scholastic Aptitude Test verbal validity coefficients. As expected, high school grade point average was a better predictor of traditional students' performance in college, as Scholastic Aptitude Test verbal was for the nontraditional students. The average validity coefficients of the nontraditional students were, in all but one instance, lower than for the traditional group. It was recommended that differential validity and regression systems for traditional and nontraditional students be routinely studied. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-05, Section: A, page: 1706. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

The issue of differential item functioning (DIF) in standardized tests has increasingly generated interest in the measurement and testing communities. An item is said to contain DIF if examinees of equal proficiency from different gender, ethnic or other groups have an unequal probability of responding correctly to the item. / Although the majority of DIF research has focused on its identification through statistical procedures, recent published studies have addressed the arguably more important issue of causes of DIF. To date, however, most studies of causes of DIF have been concerned with post-secondary situations. / The present study identified sources of DIF within a widely used secondary school achievement battery. Responses on the Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension sections of the Stanford Achievement Test were obtained from 1580 White and 3223 Hispanic eighth graders in Dade County, Florida. A quantitative technique was used to detect items exhibiting DIF. Once these items were identified, a review panel of expert bilingual judges examined them in terms of linguistic and cultural factors associated to DIF between Hispanics and Whites. / Results suggest that, when comparing Hispanic and White students of the same ability, the use in test items of true cognate words frequently used in Spanish will favor the performance of Hispanics. In contrast, several conditions may favor Whites, including the use of non true cognate words infrequently used in English, linguistic complexity, idiomatic expressions derived from technical language, and poetry. Moreover, words and phrases with a special cultural meaning for one of the groups will favor members of that group (White or Hispanic) and, the use of settings for which Hispanic students are likely to be less familiar with will favor the performance of Whites. / Findings from the study confirm the need to stress certain areas in the instruction of Hispanic students. Even though DIF is not necessarily indicative of item bias, its appearance in test items might be a sign of instructional deficiencies. Findings also should alert test developers to distinguish between construct-relevant DIF and DIF associated with test invalidity. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-09, Section: A, page: 3411. / Major Professor: Albert C. Oosterhof. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

The purpose of this dissertation is to create a psychometric instrument, the Attorney Communication Skills Instrument (ASCI), which measures the communication strengths and weaknesses exhibited by attorneys during their client interviews. / The Inventory is composed of three tests, the ACSI-Climate, ACSI-Listening, and ACSI-Nonverbal, which were assessed in three empirical surveys. The first assessment involved a mail survey to 500 randomly selected members of The Florida Bar Association. The second assessment involved the distribution of 333 copies of each test to attorneys attending the 1993 Florida Bar Association's Annual Convention. The third survey was mailed to 3900 randomly selected members of The America Bar Association's Law Practice Management Section. / The results indicate a highly defensible psychometric inventory. The results evidence a strong set of homogeneous, unidimensional items which appear to reliably and validly measure the communication constructs of establishing a supportive climate, listening, and nonverbal communication skills. The resulting items may now be used to test the presence of certain communication skills and how effectively attorneys use those skills when interviewing and interacting with their clientele. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-04, Section: A, page: 0800. / Major Professor: Marilyn Young. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1994.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an investigator designed sight-reading method (SRM) on the sight-reading skills of college music majors. The SRM concentrated on two factors relating to sight-reading: rhythmic accuracy and scanning. / Freshmen and sophomore instrumental music majors (N = 29) were given a pretest using the Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale (1954) during the first week of Fall Semester 1994. Subjects were divided into two groups, experimental (n = 14, treatment with SRM) and control (n = 15, no treatment). The treatments consisted of weekly fifteen-minute lessons using the SRM for a period of twelve weeks. / A posttest was given following the treatment period. Results of the pretest and posttest were compared in order to answer the following questions: Was there a significant difference in the pretest and posttest scores of the experimental group? Was there a significant difference in the pretest and posttest scores of the control group? Was there a significant difference in the experimental group's score change and the control group's score change? A two-tailed "t" test was utilized to analyze the data. It was concluded that both the experimental group and control group exhibited significant increases in sight-reading scores. However, there was no significant difference between the experimental group's increase and the control group's increase. It was concluded from these findings that the SRM did not produce any more of an increase in sight-reading scores than did the traditional activities of a music major. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-04, Section: A, page: 1283. / Major Professor: James Croft. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.

Thirty-eight seven year old children were tested to evaluate the effects of response format and stimulus expectancy (based on subject's label of the test item) on picture and word identification test scores and response latencies. Results of the study indicated that there are significant differences between the picture and word identification tasks. Response latencies were longer and identification scores were lower for the picture identification task. Fifty-nine percent of the test items that were labeled incorrectly were also identified incorrectly. Furthermore, the label given to the test items, by the individual, was found to have a significant effect on the overall test results. Results of this study indicate that the problems encountered when utilizing picture-identification tests stem from the pictures that comprise the test and not the picture test format itself. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-12, Section: A, page: 3696. / Major Professor: William H. Haas. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether individual's difference in A-E style, one of the cognitive style constructs, is a factor influencing how individuals perform on the task of solving insight problems, how individuals apply past experience to solving similar problems, and the extent to how much set effect or fixation that individuals will encounter. The A-E (assimilator-explorer) style suggests that individuals with a tendency to follow rules and search for past experience when solving problems can be labeled as assimilators; while individuals with a tendency to use the trial-and-error method can be labeled as explorers. Subjects were 87 undergraduate students and were classified as either assimilators or explorers according to their scores on the A-E Inventory, an instrument used to measure the A-E style construct. Then three insight problem-solving tests were administrated to all subjects. All the problems used in the three tests share the surface similarities, features which make two problems look like a similar one, but only the problems in the first two tests also share the structural similarities, features which allow two problems to be solved by the same strategies. It was predicted that: (a) the explorers would do better than the assimilators on test 1 because the explorers were more prone to think from different perspectives and thus more likely to come up with correct answers for novel problems; (b) the assimilators would do better than the explorers on test 2 because the assimilators were more capable of applying past experience to similar situations; while the explorers were less capable of doing so; and (c) the explorers would perform better than the assimilator on test 3 because the assimilator were more likely to rely on past experience thus prone to encounter set effects and fixation which degraded problem solving performance. / However, the findings showed that the performance of two groups was comparable and, therefore, none of the three hypotheses were supported. Possible reasons for why the hypotheses were not supported are discussed. Recommendations for future research are also presented. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-08, Section: A, page: 3054. / Major Professor: Walter Wager. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.