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This thesis explores item response theory (IRT) in the Personal Profile Analysis (PPA) from Thomas International. The study contains two parts (Part 1 and Part II) for which two sample groups were collected. For Part I of the research 650 participants were collected via the old form (CPPA25/C7) in the Beijing office of Thomas International in China (male=323, Female=267, missing=60). Part II of the research used the amended form in the same area and collected a sample of 307 (male=185, female=119, missing=3). The study postulates that IRT methods are applicable to forced-choice psychometrics. The results of Part I showed that the current CPPA form functions, to some extent, according to PPA’s original constructs. Part I of the research identified 16 items that need to be amended (called Amend A in this research). The amended form was returned to China for the collection of samples for Part II, and the results are deemed acceptable. The study concludes with a research protocol for PPA-IRT research generated from the current research. The research protocol suggests four levels of analysis for forced choice (FC) psychometrics, namely: 1. Textual analysis, 2. Functional analysis, 3. Dynamic analysis, and 4. Construct analysis. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This dissertation aims to analyze the items and dimensions of quality related to apartments in the city of Santa Maria / RS. It is underlined that quality investigated comes to compliance with the characteristics required by customers. About the methodological proceedings, 39 characteristics of location qualities, position and typological were listed according to the bibliography and sequentially reviewed by the real estate agencies. Subsequently, on the real estate agencies, data were collected of 500 apartments sold on 04/01/2013 to 08/25/2014; representing 37% of apartments sold in the city in that period. The data analysis began with the classical theory of tests, using Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis sequentially, using the varimax rotation; which identified two factors, based on the criterion of Kaiser. Thus, the approach of Item Response Theory was opportunity, with the logistic model of two parameters as well, the presentation of the critical aspects on the use of Item Response Theory. The first model of Item Response Theory, whose latent trait was named quality of apartments about status, are compost of four items; while the second model, the latent trait quality of apartments about utility, no identified items Sequentially, it was found that the analyzed apartments had scores between 80 to 90, thus, it is clear that most of the apartments investigated for status have the score features 80 in ITR. Therefore it is possible conclude that the proposed objective of this dissertation was achieved. / Esta dissertação visa analisar os itens e dimensões da qualidade referentes aos apartamentos da cidade de Santa Maria/RS. Salienta-se que a qualidade estudada se trata da satisfação das características requeridas pelos clientes. Acerca dos procedimentos metodológicos, 39 características acerca de qualidades de localização, posição e tipológicas foram elencados de acordo com a bibliografia e sequencialmente verificados nas agências imobiliárias. Posteriormente, nas agências imobiliárias, foram coletados dados de 500 apartamentos vendidos nos períodos de 04/01/2013 a 25/08/2014; representando 37% dos apartamentos vendidos na cidade no referido período. O tratamento dos dados iniciou com a Teoria Clássica dos Testes, utilizando a Análise Fatorial Exploratória e sequencialmente a Análise Fatorial Confirmatória, utilizando a rotação ortogonal varimax; que apontou dois fatores, tendo como base o critério de Kaiser. Oportunizando assim a abordagem da Teoria de Resposta ao Item, apresentando o Modelo Logístico de dois parâmetros bem como, a apresentação dos aspectos críticos acerca da utilização da Teoria de Resposta ao Item. O primeiro modelo da Teoria de Resposta ao Item, cujo traço latente foi denominado qualidade dos apartamentos quanto ao status do apartamento, é composto por quatro itens; enquanto o segundo modelo, de traço latente qualidade dos apartamentos quanto à utilidade, não gerou itens. Sequencialmente, verificou-se que os apartamentos analisados possuíam escore entre 80 a 90, por conseguinte, é possível afirmar que a maioria dos apartamentos investigados quanto a status possuem as características de escore 80 na TRI. Portanto, é possível afirmar que, o objetivo proposto da presente dissertação foi alcançado.

Contexte. Au cours des dernières années, l’évaluation de la violence sexuelle a connu un essor croissant. En effet, les milieux de la recherche tentent d’étudier plus largement l’ensemble des violences sexuelles, notamment en s’intéressant à la coercition sexuelle. À ce jour, il subsiste des différences quant à la définition de la notion de coercition sexuelle et une incertitude relative aux instruments de mesure à employer demeure. Objectif. L’objectif du présent mémoire est donc de construire et de mettre à l’épreuve la validé d’une échelle de mesure de la coercition sexuelle en utilisant les items du Multidimensional Inventory of Development, Sex, and Agression (MIDSA). Méthodes. L’échantillon est composé de 529 hommes, ayant commis une infraction à caractère sexuel, incarcérés dans une prison ou encore dans un centre de traitement du Massachusetts ou du Minnesota. Tous les participants ont complété le MIDSA. Le MIDSA propose 20 items mesurant 5 types de tactiques de coercition sexuelle : la manipulation, l’intoxication volontaire, l’action de prendre avantage d’une personne intoxiquée, la menace de l’utilisation de la force physique ainsi que l’utilisation de la force physique. Résultats. Les résultats indiquent que l’échelle de coercition sexuelle à 5 items possède les meilleures propriétés psychométriques. La cohérence interne de l'échelle est bonne. De plus, les analyses de théorie de réponse à l’item indiquent que la majorité des items étaient considérés comme difficiles et que tous les items possèdent un bon pouvoir discriminant. Enfin, l’échelle présente des corrélations de modérées à élevées avec la majorité des échelles associées, indiquant ainsi une bonne validité convergente et concurrente. / Background. In recent years, the assessment of sexual violence has grown steadily. In fact, the research community has been trying to examine broader forms of sexual perpetration and victimization, especially sexual coercion. There is no consistent definition in the literature for sexual coercion and uncertainty remains regarding the measuring instruments. Objective. The study aims to create a scale of sexual coercion using items from the Multidimensional Inventory of Development, Sex, and Aggression (MIDSA) and assess its validity. Methods. The sample included 529 adult males who committed a sexual offense. They completed the MIDSA while incarcerated in prisons and special commitment facilities in Massachusetts and Minnesota at the time of assessment. The MIDSA proposes a 20 item pool measuring sexual coercion based on 5 types of tactics to coerce someone into sexual activity: manipulation and bribing, offering drinks or drugs, taking advantage of someone already intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, using threats of physical force, and the use of physical force. Results. Findings from this study revealed that a 5-item version of the sexual coercion scale has the best psychometric properties. The internal consistency of the scale is good. Furthermore, the item response theory analysis shows that most items were considered difficult and serious and that all items present a good discriminant power. Finally, the sexual coercion scale presents moderate-high correlations with almost all associated scales, indicating good convergent and concurrent validity.

Der Umweltunterricht in Biologie befindet sich in der Orientierung zwischen Zwängen zur Reduktion auf naturwissenschaftliches Basiswissen (scientific literacy), den Kompetenzansprüchen der traditionellen Umweltbildung (environmental literacy) und der zuletzt implementierten Bildung für Nachhaltigkeit (BNE) mit dem Ziel Gestaltungskompetenz (sustainability literacy). Die hier präsentierte Studie diente neben der Bestimmung und Diskussion des Ist-Standes bei der Vermittlung umweltbezogener Gesichtspunkte im Rahmen des Faches Biologie auch der Entwicklung eines entsprechenden Instrumentes zur Erfassung der Unterrichtskonzepte von Lehrpersonen. Die Identifikation der Unterrichtskonzepte ging von Lehrkräften und deren Befragung in einem Ländervergleich zwischen Deutschland und Schweden aus. Methodisch wurde eine Kombination aus qualitativen und quantitativen Verfahren umgesetzt. Drei latente Erklärungsvariablen für die Antwortmuster der Lehrpersonen wurden faktorenanalytisch identifiziert und in verschiedenen Erhebungswellen validiert. Darauf basierend wurden drei kurze Testskalen gebildet. Ein zweites Auswertungsverfahren bestand in der Clusteranalyse der befragten Lehrkräfte. Indem die Cluster mit den Skalen in Beziehung gesetzt wurden, konnten anhand der Varianz der Gruppenmittelwerte verschiedene Profile identifiziert werden. Dies führte zur Beschreibung von je sechs qualitativ und quantitativ differenzierbaren Unterrichtskonzepten in Deutschland und Schweden als reservierte, minimalistische, traditionelle, neuorientierte, ambivalente und pluralistische Realisierung von Umweltbiologie. Während der reservierte Ansatz in Schweden nicht auftritt, kann dort „theoretische Umweltbiologie“ unterschieden werden. Beim derzeitigen Aus- und Fortbildungsstand der Lehrkräfte ist die Umsetzung von BNE in Deutschland nicht adäquat gewährleistet. Gründe dafür liegen im disziplinären Vermittlungsmodus, mit dem die Entwicklung überfachlicher Kompetenzen kaum vereinbar ist. / Environmental education has been implemented interdisciplinary at school in Germany. On the contrary, teacher training still remains emphasizing specific scientific subjects. Only recently, different initiatives towards education for sustainable development (ESD) are under way on state level, sub-state level and local level. However, common criteria for designing interdisciplinary teaching processes have not become obvious in Germany. There is a risk, therefore, that teachers will make decisions concerning aims, content and methods based solely on intuition. The study presented here identifies and discusses the existing state of concepts of environmental biology among biology teachers with respect to scientific literacy, environmental literacy and sustainability literacy. A wide range of different aspects of didactics in environmental biology was identified and gathered from biology teachers and scientists in Germany and Sweden. Following classical test theory, the diverse statements were eventually transformed into a closed Likert-scale questionnaire. In two preliminary studies and in the main study that was conducted across the whole of Germany, three dimensions were identified and validated by means of factor analysis. Using cluster analysis, six concepts can be distinguished: pluralistic, ambivalent, realigned, traditional, minimalist and reserved realisation of environmental biology. Biology teachers generally refer to a disciplinary science orientated teaching repertoire when addressing environmental education, which is not adequate to ESD theory. Following the investigation in Sweden, also six concepts can be distinguished. Instead of the reserved concept, a theoretic realisation exists in Sweden suitable for facilitation of sustainability literacy. In five types of realising environmental biology, a high degree of agreement was identified between perceptions of teachers in Germany and Sweden.