The dissertation explored the efficacy of using a POMDP to select and apply appropriate instruction. POMDPs are a tool for
planning: selecting a sequence of actions that will lead to an optimal outcome. RTI is an approach to instruction, where teachers craft
individual plans for students based on the results of screening test. The goal is to determine whether the plans crafted by a POMDP model
in a RTI setting offer advantages over the current practice that uses simple cut score methods. Two simulated data sets were used to
compare the two approaches; the model had a single latent reading construct and two observed reading measures: Phoneme Segmentation
Fluency (PSF) for phonological awareness and Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) for phonics. The simulation studies evaluated the POMDPs
forecasts of the students' end-of-year reading performance, and the studies compared how the students were placed into instructional
groups using the two approaches. The POMDP-RTI model forecasted the students PSF and NWF scores for the last time period based on their
scores in the previous time period as well as a forecast standard deviation. In the study, 91% of PSF scores and 94% of NWF scores fell
within two standard deviations. The assignment to tiers was very different (after the initial time block) with just over half the students
assigned differently under the two models at the last time point. The growth was better under the POMDP-RTI approach with a difference in
mean reading ability of .49 on a standardized scale. The gain is because the POMDP model can take into account past observations and
instructional history in its forecasts. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial
fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2016. / March 31, 2016. / MCMC, POMDP, POMDP-RTI, RTI / Includes bibliographical references. / Russell G. Almond, Professor Directing Dissertation; Young-Suk Kim, University Representative;
Betsy J. Becker, Committee Member; Insu Paek, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_360462 |
| Contributors | Tokac, Umit (authoraut), Almond, Russell G. (professor directing dissertation), Kim, Young-Suk (university representative), Becker, Betsy Jane (committee member), Paek, Insu (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Education (degree granting college), Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems (degree granting department) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource (101 pages), computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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