[pt] Nesta tese, trabalhou-se com a modelagem Rasch visando a apresentar alternativas mais práticas e de melhor qualidade em termos de medida, para dois cenários distintos. O primeiro está relacionado ao fato de que medir conhecimento é algo muito complexo e de difícil entendimento para profissionais que não são da área da psicometria. Por meio de experimentos envolvendo modelos da família Rasch, apresentamos a aplicabilidade e as potencialidades dessa modelagem para atender a novas demandas de avaliação em larga escala no Brasil. O segundo cenário relaciona-se à busca de medir, de modo o mais imparcial possível, itens de produção escrita, em que a nota recebida pelos alunos é influenciada pela subjetividade dos corretores, ou seja, corretores lenientes beneficiam alunos e corretores severos penalizam alunos. Diante desses dois cenários, esta tese tem os seguintes objetivos: (i) trazer para o âmbito das avaliações realizadas no Brasil uma modelagem matemática mais simples que aquela atualmente adotada, visando uma melhor comunicação com os professores, e; (ii) a possibilidade de operar não apenas com itens de múltipla escolha, corrigidos de forma automática, mas também com itens de produção escrita, em que a subjetividade dos corretores (severidade) é controlada pelo modelo psicométrico, gerando medidas de melhor qualidade. Para isso, utilizou-se a modelagem Rasch com multifacetas, abordando, por meio de casos práticos, as vantagens dessa modelagem em relação a outras metodologias atualmente adotadas no país. Assim, para a alcançarmos o primeiro objetivo, confrontamos a modelagem Rasch com multifacetas com a modelagem de três parâmetros logísticos em um estudo de efeito contexto em testes compostos por diferentes modelos de cadernos e com mais de uma disciplina avaliada por caderno e, para o segundo, comparamos as medidas de proficiência através da Rasch com multifacetas com as notas médias das duplas correções dadas pelos corretores aos alunos em testes do tipo redação. A partir dos resultados encontrados, concluímos que a Rasch com multifacetas pode ser utilizada de forma alternativa ou concomitante com as avaliações que utilizam a modelagem de três parâmetros logísticos, produzindo resultados mais rápidos e de entendimento mais fácil por parte dos professores e que, no caso de redações, as proficiências obtidas pela Rasch com multifacetas apresentaram medidas com melhores indicadores de fidedignidade e validade, quando comparadas com as medidas de notas via Teoria Clássica do Teste, sendo, portanto, uma alternativa mais viável para esse tipo de avaliação. Conclui-se essa tese apresentando situações de empregabilidade das metodologias estudadas. / [en] In this thesis, we worked with Rasch modeling, aiming to present more practical alternatives and better quality in terms of measurement, for two different scenarios. The first one is related to the fact that measuring knowledge is something very complex and difficult to understand for professionals who are not in the psychometrics area. Through experiments involving the Rasch family models, we present the applicability and the potentiality of this model to adequately comply with the new demands of the large-scale evaluation in Brazil. The second scenario is related to the search of measuring, in the most impartial way possible, written production items which grade received by the subjectivity of the raters (severity), that is, lenient raters benefit students and severe raters penalize them. In view of these two scenarios, this thesis has the following objectives: (i) to bring to the scope of the evaluations carried out in Brazil a simpler mathematical modeling than the currently adopted, aiming at a better communication with the teachers; and (ii) the possibility of operating not only with multiple choice items, corrected automatically, but also with written production items, in which the subjectivity of the raters (severity) is controlled by the psychometric model, generating better quality measures. For this, Many-Facet Rasch Measurement was used, approaching, through practical cases, the advantages of this modeling in relation to other methodologies currently adopted in the country. Thus, in order to reach the first objective, we confronted Many-Facet Rasch Measurement with the modeling of three logistic parameters in a study of context effect in tests composed by different models of test books and with more than one discipline evaluated by test book and, for the second one, we compared the measures of proficiency through the Many-Facet Rasch Measurement with the average scores of the double corrections given by the raters to the students in tests of the essay type. From the results found, we conclude that the Many-Facet Rasch Measurement can be used in an alternative or concomitant way with the evaluations that use the three logistic parameters model, producing faster results and easier to understand by the teachers and that, in the case of essays, the measures of proficiency obtained by Many-Facet Rasch Measurement presented measures with better reliability and validity indicators, when compared to the grading measures through the Classical Theory of Testing, being, therefore, a more viable alternative for this type of evaluation. This thesis concludes with situations of usability of the methodologies studied.

This research examined the relationships between the Big Five human personality traits, favorable social conditions, and foreign language classroom speaking confidence. Four research questions were investigated concerning the validity of the Big Five for a Japanese university sample, the composition of Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence, the degree to which the Big Five influenced Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence, and the degree to which perceptions of classroom climate affect Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence. The first stage of the research involved three pilot studies that led to the revision of the Big Five Factor Marker questionnaire and the creation of a new instrument for measuring foreign language classroom speaking confidence that included both cognitive and social factors as theorized in mainstream social anxiety research. The second stage of the research involved the collection and analysis of data from 1,081 participants studying English in 12 universities throughout Japan. Data were analyzed using a triangulation of Rasch analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in order to verify the construct validity of the eleven hypothesized constructs. Following validation of the measurement model, the latent variables were placed into a structural regression model, which was tested by using half of the data set as a calibration sample and confirmed by using the second half of the data set as a validation sample. The results of the study indicated the following: (a) four of the five hypothesized Big Five personality traits were valid for the Japanese sample; (b) Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence comprised three measurement variables, Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Anxiety, Perceived Foreign Language Speaking Self-Competence, and Desire to Speak English; (c) Emotional Stability and Imagination directly influenced Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence, and; (d) Current English Classroom Perception and Perceived Social Value of Speaking English directly influenced Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence. The findings thus demonstrated a link between personality, positive classroom atmosphere, and foreign language classroom speaking confidence. The implications of the findings included the possibility that foreign language anxiety is not situation-specific as theorized, and that improved social relations within the foreign language classroom might help reduce speaking anxiety. / CITE/Language Arts

Background People with rheumatic or neurologic conditions are commonly referred for occupational therapy because of decreased ability to perform ADL tasks. Upon referral, occupational therapists use a client-centred, occupationfocused approach when evaluating a person's perceived and observed quality of ADL task performance to clarify the nature and extent of the person’s problems, plan interventions and determine effectiveness of interventions. Evaluation of the extent of problems and change following intervention require the use of linear measures of ADL. The aim of this doctoral thesis was to develop and validate linear measures of perceived and observed quality of ADL task performance for occupational therapy clinical praxis and research. Methods To develop linear measures of observed quality of ADL task performance based on Rasch measurement methods, clients with ABI (n=70) were evaluated using a 3-category rating scale and the ADL Taxonomy. Similarly, to develop linear measures of perceived quality of ADL task performance women with rheumatic diseases (n=118) reported their ability on a questionnaire and in an interview based on the ADL Taxonomy and a 4- category rating scale. To further validate the ADL ability measures of the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) data were collected in two samples. In a sample of women with chronic widespread pain (CWP) or fibromyalgia (FM) (n=50) the ADL ability measures were validated with regard to discrimination, stability and sensitivity to changes. Discrimination was examined by comparing AMPS data from women with CWP/FM to those of healthy women. Stability and sensitivity to change were examined based on repeated AMPS observations pre and post intervention. In addition, sensitivity to change was examined in a sample of clients with ABI (n=36) using a pre- and post-test design. Finally, the validity of the AMPS ADL ability measures in relation to perceived ADL ability was examined in women with rheumatic diseases (n=118) and women with CWP/FM (n=50). Results Based on the results of the four studies in this thesis, we were able to conclude that it was possible to obtain linear measures of observed quality of ADL task performance based on a revised version of the ADL Taxonomy (ADL-O). It was also possible to obtain linear measures of perceived quality of ADL task performance based on revised versions of the ADL Taxonomy using the formats of questionnaires (ADL-Q) and interviews (ADL-I). Moreover, it was possible to establish further evidence of validity of the ADL ability measures of the AMPS. Thus, the AMPS ADL ability measures could discriminate between women with CWP/FM and healthy women. The ADL ability measures of remained stable when no intervention was provided and the ADL motor ability measures were sensitive to change among women with CWP/FM. Moreover, the ADL ability measures were sensitive to change among clients with low ADL ability following ABI. Finally, only low to moderate correlations were found between measures of perceived and observed ADL ability. Conclusions Rasch analyses of revised versions of the ADL Taxonomy suggest that the majority of the ADL tasks and rating scales focused on quality of ADL task performance can be used to obtain linear measures of quality of ADL task performance based on methods of questionnaire, interview or observation. Furthermore, the studies provided evidence of validity of the ADL ability measures of the AMPS in relation to discrimination, stability and sensitivity to change and relation to perceived ADL ability. The results may, therefore, enhance the use of ADL instruments that provide linear measures of perceived and observed quality of ADL task performance in occupational therapy clinical praxis and research.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2010.