Thesis (M.A.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 33-37).

Test-wiseness, possessed in different amounts by different individuals, is the ability to use test format, test characteristics, and/or the testing situation to receive a high score. As such, test-wiseness is an unwanted source of variance which can inflate test scores, thus invalidating test results. Problems of inappropriate interpretation may arise when test scores are affected by test-wiseness. The present study addressed the relationship between test-wiseness and English ability, as measured by the British Columbia Provincial English 12 Examination for June of 1989. The English 12 examination contained both selection and supply items. This provided an opportunity to examine both types of items and their relationship to test-wiseness. Previous research had focussed on selection items. To provide a framework for understanding and presenting the results the present research was divided into two substudies. Substudy I addressed questions concerning the nature and strength of the relationship of test-wiseness to the selection, short-answer, and extended-answer items of the English 12 examination. The selection items of the English 12 examination provided reference for interpreting the results for the short-answer and extended-answer items. Test scores were adjusted for the presence of verbal ability and it was found, as previous research indicated, that test-wiseness and verbal ability were moderately correlated. To further clarify the concept of test-wiseness, differences between test-wise and test-naive students were examined in terms of means and variability on selection, short-answer, and extended-answer items of the English 12 examination. The results of the study are based on test data for 735 students collected from April to June of 1989. Each student completed the Test of Test-Wiseness (TTW), Language Proficiency Index (LPI), and a form containing ethnographic information. Test scores for the English 12 examination were provided by the Ministry. Based on the analyses of test data for 735 grade twelve students, test-wiseness accounted for less than four percent of the variance on the English 12 examination for selection, short-answer, and extended-answer items on Substudy I. These results were found to be statistically significant. Results for Substudy II indicated that there were differences between test-wise and test-naive students in terms of means for the selection and short-answer items. Results for the extended-answer (essay) item were non-significant. There were no differences in variability between the test-wise and test-naive samples for any of the item types. The results of the present study will be of interest to those involved in constructing the English 12 examination, as well as grade 12 teachers and students. The test score on the English 12 examination accounts for 40% of a student's English 12 final grade, with a student's graduation or failure based upon these results. As such, English 12 examination scores should be as accurate and valid as possible. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

Skills development and training is becoming an increasingly important concern in developing countries. Not only can it impact local economic platforms, but it can also increase international competitiveness, employment and prosperity. Disarticulations of public policy can however undermine public sector delivery of skills development initiatives and opens up opportunities for private provision to be, under certain circumstances, more responsive to the challenges of skills shortages. The purpose of this research is firstly to substantiate the need for a more active engagement by the private sector in the development and training of technical skills. Subsequently, it aims to identify the impacting factors that either promote or inhibit such engagement, specifically within the construction and mining industries of Sub-Saharan Africa. In identifying the most significant factors, a conceptual framework can be compiled and recommended to facilitate a more sustainable approach to the implementation of in-house initiatives, specifically within the private sector of these industries. A descriptive quantitative research approach was implemented for this study. This was facilitated through an online survey questionnaire distributed to a population comprising of top, middle and junior management, as well as general employees, permanently employed within the construction and mining industries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The research results revealed a definite lack of confidence in the public sector’s ability to adequately provide technical skills within these industries, and thus within Sub-Saharan Africa. This stresses the need for a more active participation by the private sector in developing such technical skills. Further analysis also identified the critical inhibitors and benefits associated with current private sector initiatives. It suggests that effective in-house skills development and training initiatives within these industries can not only beneficially impact companies, but also the socio-economic environment in which they operate. Finally, the research concludes with the introduction of a conceptual framework targeting three core areas as a base to implement skills on a sustainable platform within the private sector. These include the concepts of benefits realisation, risk management and government intervention. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

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This report consists of a compilation of a number of studies, which all of them have dealt with the effects of practice and instruction upon a person's test results. A literature review based on a dichotomy of practice and instruction under short-term and long-term conditions respectively, as well as on the denign of the investigations and certain characteristics of the individuals, resulted in general as well as in more specific statements on the arising of practice and instruction effects. In all the empirical investigations quantitative-numerical tests were used (KVR and NOG respectively), where one-of them (NOG) is a part of the so-called Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test. The basic aim was to investigate if short-term practice (KTÖ) and short-term instruction (KTI) could have an effect upon the score of these tests. In this case practice was defined as taking a pre-test, and in the first three studies the instruction consisted of two phases: a first one concerning general testing strategies, and a second one concerning a specially adapted problem solving strategy. As a basis for the forming of this special problem solving strategy for NOG served a logically constructed and sequential problem solving strategy, which was formed as a direct influence on the individual via instruction in the first three studies, and as an indirect influence on the individual via the item format in the last three studies. From the achieved results can be mentioned that the literature paid attention to the importance of a person's knowledge of and familiarity with tests and examinations in a specific as well as in a more general sense. If a person has no or very little former experience of tests there is a certain probability that there will be a higher score due to KTÖ or KTI. This probability is reduced considerably if the person has some or relatively great former experience in this respect. This was also verified indirectly in the empirical studies, which were mainly carried out on individuals who could be classified as experienced in and familiar with tests. No practice or instruction effects could be found either in the first three studies or indirectly in the last three studies. In these ones a specially constructed item format had been used, which had been formed according to the sequential problem solving strategy. With the intention to obtain an interpretation frame for practice and instruction effects on tests, the basis in this report has been a theoretically constructed model, whereby the achieved effects are first of all related to the individual variable former experience, and secondly to whether a test consists of correctly or incorrectly constructed items. / digitalisering@umu

Thesis (doctoral)--La Salle University, 2003. / ProQuest dissertations and theses ; AAT 3108290. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 33-37).

The objectives of this study were to investigate the cultural differences in test-wiseness between Chinese and Canadian students; to study the impact of test-wiseness on British Columbia Grade 12 provincial examination results among Chinese students in British Columbia; and to examine the relationship of test-wiseness, and four correlates (verbal ability, achievement motivation, length of residency in Canada, multiple choice experience) among the Chinese students. The Test of Test-wiseness and Student Survey questionnaire were administered to 41 Grade 12 foreign Chinese students who wrote the provincial examinations in January 1990. Completed test data were compared with the same data from Canadian and Chinese immigrant students who wrote the provincial examination in June 1989. The data were analyzed by a linear regression model. The results indicated that ethnicity accounted for a significant amount of variance in test-wiseness. Foreign Chinese students were significantly less test-wise than both Canadian and Chinese immigrant students. Foreign Chinese students scored significantly lower than the other two groups in absurd-options, different-options, stem-options link and guessing subtests in the Test of Test-wiseness. The results also showed that test-wiseness did not account for a significant amount of variance in provincial examination scores (English 12 and Algebra 12). The four correlates together accounted for very little variance in test-wiseness. None of them significantly correlated with test-wiseness, except that length of residency in Canada correlated positively with test-wiseness. Finally, the three ethnic groups showed no significant differences in achievement motivation but foreign Chinese students scored significantly lower than Chinese immigrant students who scored in turn lower than Canadian students in verbal ability. The findings imply that language plays a crucial part in test-taking situations. With inadequate English language skills, foreign Chinese students were unable to satisfactorily comprehend the test questions, and hence their test performance were very close to what would be expected from random guessing. It is suggested that these students require examination coaching skills as well as improvement in English language skills. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

Detta arbete belyser forskning om nationella prov i läsförståelse i årskurs tre. År 2010 infördes obligatoriska nationella prov redan i årskurs tre då svenska elever visat sjunkande resultat i internationella kunskapsmätningar. Nationella prov är de första prov med hög personlig insats elever genomför. Syftet med detta arbete är att belysa forskning om faktorer som påverkar elevers testresultat på nationella prov i svenska i årskurs tre. Ytterligare syfte är att få en djupare förståelse för nationella provs validitet och reliabilitet kopplat till mätning av elevers läsförståelse. Syftet besvaras utifrån frågeställningarna: Hur kan lärare påverka elevers resultat i läsförståelse på nationella prov i svenska årskurs tre? Vilka faktorer kan påverka nationella provs validitet och reliabilitet vid mätning av elevers läsförståelse i årskurs tre? Arbetet tar sin utgångspunkt i motivationsteori med fokus på Expectancy-value theory som handlar om elevers förväntning att lyckas i provsituationer. Material samlades genom sökning i olika databaser och söktjänster. Arbetet innehåller både nationella och internationella artiklar, där främst nationella studier använts. Det insamlade materialet har analyserats i en översiktstabell.  Resultatet visar att lärares kompetens är viktig för elevers prestationer, lärande samt utveckling. Stress, motivation samt lärares provförberedande undervisning är faktorer som kan påverka elevers prestationer i samband med provsituationer. Undervisning i provtagningsförmåga kan leda till minskad provstress, ökad motivation samt förväntan att lyckas med uppgiften på ett framgångsrikt sätt. Resultatet visar även att provtagningsmotivation speglar testresultatet. Vid låg provtagningsmotivation tenderar elever att inte prestera sitt bästa i provtagningssituationer vilket kan påverka provs validitet. Provs reliabilitet kan enligt studiens resultat påverkas av lärares olika introduktioner av uppgifter samt hur prov konstrueras.