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The present study was a systematic investigation of hierarchical skill sequences in the design copying domain. The factors associated with possible variations in task difficulty were delineated. Five hierarchies were developed to reflect variations in rule usage, the structuring of responses, presence of angles, spatial orientations, and stimulus complexity. Three-hundred thirty four subjects aged five through ten years were administered a 25 item design copying test. The data were analyzed using probabilistic models. Latent trait models were developed to test the hypothesized skill sequences. Each latent trait model was statistically compared to alternate models to arrive at a preferred model that would adequately represent the data. Results suggested that items with predictable difficulty levels can be developed in this domain based on an analysis of stimulus dimensions and the use of rules for task completion. The inclusion of visual cues to guide design copying assists accurate task completion. Implications of the current findings for facilitating the construction of tests which accurately provide information about children's skill levels were discussed. The presence of hierarchical skill sequences in a variety of ability domains was supported.

Mindful parenting has been defined as “paying attention to your child and your parenting in a particular way: intentionally, here and now, and non-judgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn & Kabat-Zinn, 1997). Although it is hypothesized that increasing mindful parenting improves parent and child functioning, the development of a measure of mindful parenting is needed to support this assumption. The aim of the present study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate a measure of mindful parenting (the Mindfulness In Parenting Questionnaire: MIPQ) for use with mothers and fathers of both children and adolescents, ranging in age from 2- to 16-years-old. The current study contained three phases. First, content experts in the area of mindfulness and parenting provided content for preliminary items. Second, parents participated in cognitive interviewing in order to reduce measurement error and increase the psychometrics of the measure. The third and final phase consisted of large-scale data collection to explore the psychometrics of the new MIPQ. Two-hundred and three parents recruited from academic and after-school programs in South Florida completed the MIPQ, along with measures of intrapersonal mindfulness, parenting behavior, parenting style, and a demographics questionnaire. The Partial Credit Model, which evidenced significantly better fit than the Rating Scale Model, was used to evaluate the MIPQ using WINSTEPS 3.74.01. The MIPQ was iteratively refined based on statistical and clinical considerations, resulting in a 28-item measure with 4 response categories. Further, results supported a 2 factor mindful parenting construct. The first factor (Parental Self-Efficacy) reflects a parent’s self-efficacy, as well as nonreactivity and awareness within the parenting role, while the second factor (Being in the Moment with the Child) pertains to the child, and reflects present-centered attention, empathic understanding, and acceptance of the child. Factors were correlated (r = .67) and explained 42.3% and 43.4% of the variance, respectively. Correlations between the MIPQ and parenting style, parenting practices, practice of mindfulness, and participant demographics provided support for convergent and discriminant validity. The MIPQ exhibited a positive and weak correlation with the MAAS, indicating that interpersonal and intrapersonal mindfulness are related, but separate and distinct constructs. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

Dracula was written by Bram Stoker in 1897 but in this thesis I will discuss the different interpretations that can be achieved using reader response theory.  More specifically how gender affects these reader responses.  It is a detail analysis of how a feminine reader with a 21st century perspective can achieve different reactions to the text than that of the previous masculine and patriarchal readings that have been common in the past. This approach to Dracula has shown in more detail how the current representation of vampires in our culture has come to pass.  Dracula was one of the first vampire novels, but it was by no means the last, and the current fascination with vampires is a direct result of ‘reading’ them in a feminine way. It shows how in Dracula demons, victims and heroes, with a new perspective, become tragic, misunderstood and patriarchal oppressors. Also that it is through an integration with the text itself and reading in a feminine way that we are able to see them that way.

Multistage tests (MSTs) have received renewed interest in recent years as an effective compromise between fixed-length linear tests and computerized adaptive test. Most MSTs studies scored the assessments based on item response theory (IRT) methods. Many assessments are currently being developed as mixed-format assessments that administer both standalone items and clusters of items associated with a common stimulus called testlets. By the nature of a testlet, a natural dependency occurs between the items within the testlet that violates the local independence of items. Local independence is a fundamental assumption of the IRT models. Using dichotomous IRT methods on a mixed-format testlet-based assessment knowingly violates local independence. By combining the score points within a testlet, researchers have successfully applied polytomous IRT models. However, the use of such models loses information by not using the unique response patterns provided by each item within a testlet. The three-parameter logistic testlet response theory (3PL-TRT) model is a measurement model developed to retain the uniqueness in response patterns of each item, while accounting for the local dependency exhibited by a testlet, or testlet effect. Because few studies have examined mixed-format MSTs administration under the 3PL-TRT model, the dissertation performed a simulation to investigate the administration of a mixed-format testlet based MSTs under the 3PL-TRT model. Simulee responses were generated based on the 3PL-TRT calibrated item parameters from a real large-scale passage based standardized assessment. The manipulated testing conditions considered four panel designs, two test lengths, three routing procedures, and three conditions of local item dependence. The study found functionally no bias across testing conditions. All conditions showed adequate measurement properties, but a few differences did occur between some of the testing conditions. The measurement precision was impacted by panel design, test length and the magnitude of local item dependence. The three-stage MSTs consistently illustrated slightly lower measurement precision than the two-stage MSTs. As expected, the longer test length conditions had better measurement precision than the shorter test length conditions. Conditions with the largest magnitude of local item dependency showed the worst measurement precision. The routing procedure had little impact on the measurement effectiveness. / text

During the 1980’s the non-profit organisation RAND Corporation conducted the two-year Medical Outcomes Study with the goal of creating a comprehensive medical questionnaire. The resulting 116-item questionnaire measures health related quality of life (HRQoL) topics such as physical, mental and general health. The questionnaire is available as a free resource on their web page. SF-36, which contains 36 of these questions, is distributed for a fee by the US company Quality Metric Inc. The company has translated the questionnaire into several languages, including Swedish, and has also taken license for the translations. Registercentrum sydost has made a new Swedish translation of the same questions as in the SF-36. This survey is called RAND-36 and is license free. Because Quality Metric Inc has taken license for its Swedish translation, the surveys are similar but not identical. This study aims to compare the aforementioned HRQoL-instruments to determine whether it is possible to replace the licensed questionnaire SF-36 with the license free RAND-36. The distribution of items with response options according ordinal scale were compared with Mann-Whitney U-test. The test yielded a significant difference for eight items in the measure PF(physical functioning), MH(mental health), VT (vitality) and GH (general health perceptions). The distribution of items with response options according dichotomous scale were compared with X2-test. The test yielded significant difference for an item in the measure RE (emotional role functioning). The reliability of questionnaire was compared with ordinal alpha. In the selection the reliability between MH and VT is equivalent. The biggest difference between the surveys is the measure RP (physical role functioning) where the RAND-36 meets the requirement that the measure can be used for reliable conclusions on the individual level, which is a condition that SF-36 can’t met. The probability of entering an answer, given the respondent's ability, was compared with Rasch analysis. Wald's test gave DIF between most items within the measures PF, MH, VT and GH.

Magister Artium - MA / The thesis offers insight into English literature studies as taught at high school level to Grade 12 learners, employing Louise Rosenblatt’s reader response theory to explore and understand their encounter and engagement with prescribed poetry by enquiring as to whether social conditions in their lives allow an identification with these poems. The thesis argues for the validity and implementation of reader response theory in the South African curriculum because when learners engage with their memories, experiences and opinions; identification with the poem is possible. If learners identify with the poems that are being taught, there may be a sense of harmony as they realise that their problems or experiences are not in isolation. The sample population comprises of learners attending two high schools located in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town: a community that presents a myriad of societal challenges. Proper ethical considerations were followed in order to gain access to the research sites and anonymity was promised to all research participants. The research entails the usage of openended questionnaires to elicit data which has been processed qualitatively by means of content analysis whereby various central social environment themes were identified. A background of Mitchells Plain’s social ills is provided in order to understand the challenges facing the research participants. The thesis offers an extensive discussion on the history and current state of education in South Africa, as well as a delineation of the study of the discipline of poetry by highlighting its proposed benefits from humanities and scientific perspectives. Additionally, the thesis provides a background on different reader response theories and published reader response studies with a focus on the social environment of the individual for further elucidation of the theoretical framework. Results of the study reveal that the selected poems by William Blake, W.H. Auden, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Chinua Achebe yield fascinating responses as most research participants can socially identify with the contextual themes and characters. The thesis sheds light on a few shortcomings or limitations which may have impacted the data collection process and provides recommendations on how to improve any future related studies and possibilities of best teaching practice of English literature in South African high schools.

Thesis advisor: Larry H. Ludlow / Recent estimates suggest there are roughly 1.6 million homeless children and this number is growing (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2011). This trend is particularly worrisome given that homeless children face a number of obstacles within society and education, not the least of which is negative teacher attitudes (Swick, 2000; U.S. Department of Education, 2002). This study's primary research question addressed whether a set of underlying dimensions could be identified and used to effectively measure teacher attitudes toward homeless students. A necessary part of answering this research question involved the development of a measurement scale. Both Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory analyses aided in the elimination process of items in order to create the final Teacher Attitudes toward Homeless Students (TAHS) assessment, which includes an attitudes scale and subscales, and a related knowledge scale. The final outcome was a set of 43 items, across eight dimensions, which could effectively be used to measure teacher attitudes toward homeless students. Additionally, the findings upheld the principles of Rasch measurement, including unidimensionality, a hierarchical ordering of items, and a continuum of the construct definition. In other words, the findings indicate that the TAHS scale was successfully developed according to explicit a priori measurement criteria. Moreover, additional correlational and regression analyses provided empirical construct and convergent validity evidence for the TAHS scale. It was also found that attitudes differed slightly for teachers of various backgrounds and experiences, but when analyzed collectively these variables were not significantly related to teacher attitudes toward homeless students. Additionally, there was only a weak relationship between teachers' attitudes and their knowledge about homelessness. Overall the TAHS scale allows for reliable and accurate measurement of teacher attitudes toward homeless students from which valid inferences can be made. The TAHS scale scores and score descriptors can be used to help teacher interpret their attitude. This has the potential for a direct impact in creating equal educational opportunities for homeless students as teachers become aware of their attitude and make positive changes. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2012. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation.

After the stability and sensitivity of FLOR were investigated, the application of it in the CAT environment had become the main concern. The present studies found that both the test length and the number of exposed items affect the final value of FLOR. In the fixed length CAT, the FLOR has a much stronger sensitivity than lz and CUSUM in detecting item pre-knowledge. The sensitivity of FLOR in the fixed length CAT was the same as that in the fixed length fixed items test. If the test length could vary, the sensitivity of FLOR in CAT would be slightly weakened. The Adjusted FLOR index could increase the sensitivity. Concerning about the effect of ability on the sensitivity of FLOR in CAT, it was found that the abilities of the test takers in CAT did not affect the sensitivity of FLOR and Adjusted FLOR. / Item response theory is a modern test theory. It focuses on the performance of each item. Under this framework, the performance of test takers on a test item can be predicted by a set of abilities. The relationship between the test takers' item performances and the set of abilities underlying item performances can be described by a monotonically increasing function called an item characteristic curve. Due to various personal reasons, the performances of the test takers may depart from the response patterns predicted by the underlying test model. In order to calculate the extent of departure of these aberrant response patterns, a number of methods have been developed under the theme "person-fit statistics". The degree of aberration is calculated as an index called person-fit index. Inside the computerized adaptive testing (CAT), test takers with different abilities will answer different numbers of questions and the difficulties of the items administered to them are usually clustered at the abilities of the test takers. Due to this reason, the application of person-fit indices in the computerized adaptive testing environment to measure misfit is difficult. / The present study also found that FLOR has a much superior sensitivity over other indices in detecting item pre-knowledge. Concerning about the sensitivity over different abilities of test takers, it was found that the sensitivity of FLOR was the highest among low ability test takers and the weakest among strong ability test takers in the fixed length and fixed items tests. However, the sensitivities of FLOR became the same among different abilities of test takers if items with difficulties matching their abilities were used in the tests. The number of beneficiaries among the test takers did not affect the sensitivity of FLOR. Moreover, in a simulation to test the differentiating power of FLOR, it was found that FLOR could differentiate item pre-knowledge from other reasons of personal misfits (test anxiety, player, random response and challenger) effectively. / The present study assessed the stability of FLOR over other variables, which were unrelated to item pre-knowledge. It found that FLOR was stable over the discrimination and difficulty parameters of test items. It was also stable over positions of the exposed items in the test and the initial assignment of prior probability of item pre-knowledge. However, the asymptotes (guessing factor) and the probabilities of item exposure did affect the final values of FLOR seriously. / The present study used the hf plot to access the sensitivity of the person-fit indices. hf plot is a plot of hit rate against false alarm rate. For a higher hit rate, usually a higher false alarm rate is followed. hf plot provides a good tools for comparison between indices by inspection of the speed of rise of the curves. A sensitive index should give a faster rise of the curve. In this study, sensitivity of an index was defined as the speed of rise of the hf plot, which is represented by a parameter hftau estimated from the data obtained from hf plot. / When the frequent accesses to the item bank has become feasible, test takers may memorize blocks of test items and share these items with future test takers. Individuals with prior knowledge of some items may use that information to get high scores, in the sense that their test scores have been artificially inflated. FLOR is an index of posterior log-odds ratio used for detecting the use of item pre-knowledge. It can be applied both in the fixed item, fixed length test and the CAT environment. It is a model-based index in which aberrant models are defined in the situation of item pre-knowledge. FLOR describes the likelihood that a response pattern arises from the aberrant models. / Hui Hing-fai. / Adviser: Kit-tai Hau. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-09, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-111). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.