02429nas a2200241   4500008004100000020004600041245008600087210006900173260002500242300001200267490000700279520159900286653001801885653002401903653002001927653002801947653002101975653004001996653001402036100001802050700001202068856010702080       2006                        eng d  a0895-7347 (Print); 1532-4818 (Electronic)00aOptimal and nonoptimal computer-based test designs for making pass-fail decisions0 aOptimal and nonoptimal computerbased test designs for making pas  bLawrence Erlbaum: US  a221-2390 v193 aNow that many credentialing exams are being routinely administered by computer, new computer-based test designs, along with item response theory models, are being aggressively researched to identify specific designs that can increase the decision consistency and accuracy of pass-fail decisions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of optimal and nonoptimal multistage test (MST) designs, linear parallel-form test designs (LPFT), and computer adaptive test (CAT) designs on the decision consistency and accuracy of pass-fail decisions. Realistic testing situations matching those of one of the large credentialing agencies were simulated to increase the generalizability of the findings. The conclusions were clear: (a) With the LPFTs, matching test information functions (TIFs) to the mean of the proficiency distribution produced slightly better results than matching them to the passing score; (b) all of the test designs worked better than test construction using random selection of items, subject to content constraints only; (c) CAT performed better than the other test designs; and (d) if matching a TIP to the passing score, the MST design produced a bit better results than the LPFT design. If an argument for the MST design is to be made, it can be made on the basis of slight improvements over the LPFT design and better expected item bank utilization, candidate preference, and the potential for improved diagnostic feedback, compared with the feedback that is possible with fixed linear test forms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)10aadaptive test10acredentialing exams10aDecision Making10aEducational Measurement10amultistage tests10aoptimal computer-based test designs10atest form1 aHambleton, RK1 aXing, D  uhttp://iacat.org/content/optimal-and-nonoptimal-computer-based-test-designs-making-pass-fail-decisions02348nas a2200193   4500008004100000245008700041210006900128300001200197490000700209520170500216653003001921653002201951653001401973653002801987653001302015100001002028700001302038856010302051       2005                        eng d00aA computer-assisted test design and diagnosis system for use by classroom teachers0 acomputerassisted test design and diagnosis system for use by cla  a419-4290 v213 aComputer-assisted assessment (CAA) has become increasingly important in education in recent years. A variety of computer software systems have been developed to help assess the performance of students at various levels. However, such systems are primarily designed to provide objective assessment of students and analysis of test items, and focus has been mainly placed on higher and further education. Although there are commercial professional systems available for use by primary and secondary educational institutions, such systems are generally expensive and require skilled expertise to operate. In view of the rapid progress made in the use of computer-based assessment for primary and secondary students by education authorities here in the UK and elsewhere, there is a need to develop systems which are economic and easy to use and can provide the necessary information that can help teachers improve students' performance. This paper presents the development of a software system that provides a range of functions including generating items and building item banks, designing tests, conducting tests on computers and analysing test results. Specifically, the system can generate information on the performance of students and test items that can be easily used to identify curriculum areas where students are under performing. A case study based on data collected from five secondary schools in Hong Kong involved in the Curriculum, Evaluation and Management Centre's Middle Years Information System Project, Durham University, UK, has been undertaken to demonstrate the use of the system for diagnostic and performance analysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA ) (journal abstract)10aComputer Assisted Testing10aComputer Software10aDiagnosis10aEducational Measurement10aTeachers1 aHe, Q1 aTymms, P  uhttp://iacat.org/content/computer-assisted-test-design-and-diagnosis-system-use-classroom-teachers01443nas a2200241   4500008004100000245008000041210006900121300001200190490000700202520067300209653003000882653002800912653002500940653002300965653001600988653002201004653002101026100001301047700001601060700001001076700001601086856009901102       2002                        eng d00aData sparseness and on-line pretest item calibration-scaling methods in CAT0 aData sparseness and online pretest item calibrationscaling metho  a207-2180 v393 aCompared and evaluated 3 on-line pretest item calibration-scaling methods (the marginal maximum likelihood estimate with 1 expectation maximization [EM] cycle [OEM] method, the marginal maximum likelihood estimate with multiple EM cycles [MEM] method, and M. L. Stocking's Method B) in terms of item parameter recovery when the item responses to the pretest items in the pool are sparse. Simulations of computerized adaptive tests were used to evaluate the results yielded by the three methods. The MEM method produced the smallest average total error in parameter estimation, and the OEM method yielded the largest total error (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA )10aComputer Assisted Testing10aEducational Measurement10aItem Response Theory10aMaximum Likelihood10aMethodology10aScaling (Testing)10aStatistical Data1 aBan, J-C1 aHanson, B A1 aYi, Q1 aHarris, D J  uhttp://iacat.org/content/data-sparseness-and-line-pretest-item-calibration-scaling-methods-cat01689nas a2200277   4500008004100000020001000041245006500051210006400116260009700180300001100277520074500288653002101033653002201054653002501076653002801101653002501129653001601154653001801170653005501188653001501243653001201258100001801270700002301288700001301311856008701324       2002                        eng d  a02-0900aMathematical-programming approaches to test item pool design0 aMathematicalprogramming approaches to test item pool design  aTwente, The NetherlandsbUniversity of Twente, Faculty of Educational Science and Technology  a93-1083 a(From the chapter) This paper presents an approach to item pool design that has the potential to improve on the quality of current item pools in educational and psychological testing and hence to increase both measurement precision and validity. The approach consists of the application of mathematical programming techniques to calculate optimal blueprints for item pools. These blueprints can be used to guide the item-writing process. Three different types of design problems are discussed, namely for item pools for linear tests, item pools computerized adaptive testing (CAT), and systems of rotating item pools for CAT. The paper concludes with an empirical example of the problem of designing a system of rotating item pools for CAT.10aAdaptive Testing10aComputer Assisted10aComputer Programming10aEducational Measurement10aItem Response Theory10aMathematics10aPsychometrics10aStatistical Rotation computerized adaptive testing10aTest Items10aTesting1 aVeldkamp, B P1 avan der Linden, WJ1 aAriel, A  uhttp://iacat.org/content/mathematical-programming-approaches-test-item-pool-design01627nas a2200241   4500008004100000245005900041210005800100300001200158490000700170520087100177653002101048653003401069653002801103653002001131653003201151653002501183653001501208653002701223653002201250653001601272100001601288856008101304       2002                        eng d00aOutlier detection in high-stakes certification testing0 aOutlier detection in highstakes certification testing  a219-2330 v393 aDiscusses recent developments of person-fit analysis in computerized adaptive testing (CAT). Methods from statistical process control are presented that have been proposed to classify an item score pattern as fitting or misfitting the underlying item response theory model in CAT Most person-fit research in CAT is restricted to simulated data. In this study, empirical data from a certification test were used. Alternatives are discussed to generate norms so that bounds can be determined to classify an item score pattern as fitting or misfitting. Using bounds determined from a sample of a high-stakes certification test, the empirical analysis showed that different types of misfit can be distinguished Further applications using statistical process control methods to detect misfitting item score patterns are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA )10aAdaptive Testing10acomputerized adaptive testing10aEducational Measurement10aGoodness of Fit10aItem Analysis (Statistical)10aItem Response Theory10aperson Fit10aStatistical Estimation10aStatistical Power10aTest Scores1 aMeijer, R R  uhttp://iacat.org/content/outlier-detection-high-stakes-certification-testing02714nas a2200169   4500008004100000245011500041210006900156300000900225490000700234520208500241653001302326653002802339653002602367653001602393100001602409856011902425       2000                        eng d00aLagrangian relaxation for constrained curve-fitting with binary variables: Applications in educational testing0 aLagrangian relaxation for constrained curvefitting with binary v  a10630 v613 aThis dissertation offers a mathematical programming approach to curve fitting with binary variables. Various Lagrangian Relaxation (LR) techniques are applied to constrained curve fitting. Applications in educational testing with respect to test assembly are utilized. In particular, techniques are applied to both static exams (i.e. conventional paper-and-pencil (P&P)) and adaptive exams (i.e. a hybrid computerized adaptive test (CAT) called a multiple-forms structure (MFS)). This dissertation focuses on the development of mathematical models to represent these test assembly problems as constrained curve-fitting problems with binary variables and solution techniques for the test development. Mathematical programming techniques are used to generate parallel test forms with item characteristics based on item response theory. A binary variable is used to represent whether or not an item is present on a form. The problem of creating a test form is modeled as a network flow problem with additional constraints. In order to meet the target information and the test characteristic curves, a Lagrangian relaxation heuristic is applied to the problem. The Lagrangian approach works by multiplying the constraint by a "Lagrange multiplier" and adding it to the objective. By systematically varying the multiplier, the test form curves approach the targets. This dissertation explores modifications to Lagrangian Relaxation as it is applied to the classical paper-and-pencil exams. For the P&P exams, LR techniques are also utilized to include additional practical constraints to the network problem, which limit the item selection. An MFS is a type of a computerized adaptive test. It is a hybrid of a standard CAT and a P&P exam. The concept of an MFS will be introduced in this dissertation, as well as, the application of LR as it is applied to constructing parallel MFSs. The approach is applied to the Law School Admission Test for the assembly of the conventional P&P test as well as an experimental computerized test using MFSs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA )10aAnalysis10aEducational Measurement10aMathematical Modeling10aStatistical1 aKoppel, N B  uhttp://iacat.org/content/lagrangian-relaxation-constrained-curve-fitting-binary-variables-applications-educational