Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Education, Tests and Measurements'

Special education students with many different disabilities are taught in today’s classrooms, and since the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, they are required to take the same standardized assessments as their regular education peers (Resmovits, 2013). Within this study, data were analyzed to determine the perceptions of two groups, which included third-grade regular education teachers and special education teachers of special education students who took the same standardized assessments as their regular education peers. In addition, data were also examined to determine if there was a relationship between how teachers from the two groups responded to survey statements and how students actually scored on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) for the years 2012-2014. Finally, data were analyzed to determine the perceptions of the two groups on the use of special education students’ assessment results for teacher evaluations. Sixty-three (N = 63) teachers, 30 regular and 33 special education teachers, from the Southwest Missouri region participated in completing a survey. Results indicated teachers in both groups negatively viewed the idea of special education students taking the same standardized assessments, with or without accommodations, as their non-disabled peers. In addition, a statistical relationship was found between the regular education teachers’ perceptions and special education students’ MAP scores in the area of communication arts (2013, 2014), and a statistical relationship was found between special education teachers’ perceptions and special education students’ MAP scores in the area of communication arts (2012) and math (2013). Finally, the data showed teachers in both groups negatively viewed the idea that special education students’ MAP scores should be used in teacher evaluations.

This research study compared the three commonly used norm-referenced assessments (Northwest Evaluation Assessment, STAR Enterprise, and AIMSweb) to the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment. The basic question was which one of the three assessments provided the best predictive validity scores to the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment. Yearly scores from three years were gathered to evaluate which one of the three assessments had a stronger correlation score to the MCA. The study was confined to using 4^th grade scores from three different schools located on a Native American reservation. Each school used one of the three common standardized reference assessments, and each school administered the MCA in the spring using winter scores. These scores were used to evaluate whether a student is on track to reach proficiency on the MCA. Findings showed that two of the three assessments had strong correlation scores. NWEA-MAP and STAR Enterprise had the strongest correlation. Further findings showed that STAR Enterprise had the strongest correlation score with a caveat that this is a new assessment and needs more research. Findings from this study allow schools to use two of the assessments with confidence that it is giving them quality scores.

A standard analysis of prostate cancer biochemical failure data is done by conducting two approaches in which risk factors or covariates are measured. Cox regression and discrete-time survival models were compared under different attributes: sample size, time periods, and parameters in the model. The person-period data was reconstructed when examining the same data in discrete-time survival model. Twenty-four numerical examples covering a variety of sample sizes, time periods, and number of parameters displayed the closeness of Cox regression and discrete-time survival methods in situations typical of the cancer study.

Over the last two decades, online education has become a popular concept in universities as well as K-12 education. This generation of students has grown up using technology and has shown interest in incorporating technology into their learning. The idea of using technology in the classroom to enhance student learning and create higher achievement has become necessary for administrators, teachers, and policymakers. Although online education is a popular topic, there has been minimal research on the effectiveness of online and blended learning strategies compared to the student learning in a traditional K-12 classroom setting.

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in standardized test scores from the Biology End of Course exam when at-risk students completed the course using three different educational models: online format, blended learning, and traditional face-to-face learning. Data was collected from over 1,000 students over a five year time period. Correlation analyzed data from standardized tests scores of eighth grade students was used to define students as “at-risk” for failing high school courses.

The results indicated a high correlation between eighth grade standardized test scores and Biology End of Course exam scores. These students were deemed “at-risk” for failing high school courses. Standardized test scores were measured for the at-risk students when those students completed Biology in the different models of learning. Results indicated significant differences existed among the learning models. Students had the highest test scores when completing Biology in the traditional face-to-face model. Further evaluation of subgroup populations indicated statistical differences in learning models for African-American populations, female students, and for male students.

Children from a low socioeconomic status (SES) are exposed to numerous stress factors that are negatively associated with sustained attention and academic performance. This association suggests that the timed component of lengthy assessments may be unfair for students from such backgrounds, as they may have an inability to sustain attention during lengthy tests. Research has also found academic disparities between gender. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the relationship between continuous and divided timed tests in terms of student test scores, with additional assessments incorporating gender. Two charter schools from a suburban Idaho school district were the sources of the convenience sample. Fifth grade students were tested in groups of approximately 30. The research questions for the study concerned the relationship between continuous and divided assessment protocols and Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test scores for low- versus non-low-SES students and among gender. The hypothesis was that there would be a statistically significant difference in TAKS scores between continuous and divided assessments. An ANOVA was used to determine whether a statistical relationship existed between test scores and test protocol by gender. ANOVA results indicated no significant differences in math test scores between test protocols and among gender, suggesting that increased collaborative efforts between families and schools may mitigate factors associated with attentional and academic deficits among students from low-SES environments. The results of this study may be helpful for communities as they develop curricula that may close the academic gap among students of all SES backgrounds.

This study was born out of a concern that U.S. community colleges were currently using or considering using noncognitive variables for academic placement without an understanding of how students would react to these scales in a high-stakes setting. While the use of noncognitive variables for placement often stems from a desire to overcome the myriad of limitations of content-based placement tests, the researcher was concerned that noncognitive variables had the potential to become an extension of the problems caused by the test.

This study was guided by two research questions: How does the high-stakes nature of academic placement impact student responses on noncognitive scales? How does the context, demand, characteristics, and framing of the noncognitive variables impact stereotype threat, if at all? The researcher performed a random control trial of incoming community college students to determine how they might react to questions about noncognitive variables. One group was told their responses would be used for placement, and the other was told that their responses would be used to improve instruction.

The major findings suggest that initial framing played a role in participant responses and lowered responses on some noncognitive variables, but that the act of having taken a placement test was also a moderator of student behavior and whether or not students believed the initial framing. Stereotype threat susceptibility appeared to have a statistically significant relationship with some participants’ responses on some noncognitive scales, and there was evidence that initial framing was not related. Finally, while participants were generally honest, those who did change their answers did so in a manner that was inconsistent, more so when given high stakes framing.

This study explored the relationship between a National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) College Readiness Program (CRP) Grant and student achievement outcomes in Advanced Placement (AP) courses and on AP Exams in four Alaska high schools. A logistic regression model returned the odds of students obtaining an A or B versus a C, D, or F in an AP course, and earning a passing score versus a failing score on the exam. The results indicate there are more frequent significant differences in exam scores than in course grades based on the independent variables in the regression model. Free-and-reduced lunch (FRL) status and a school’s location were the most frequent predictors, followed by gender, grant status, and ethnicity. The lack of difference in AP course grades suggests that non-White, female students receiving FRL, attending an urban high school with the grant may be able to achieve at levels comparable to their more advantaged peers. Furthermore, the percent growth in exam pass rate at the grant schools in the study was higher than the non-grant schools and similar to other state-level studies of the NMSI CRP grant. Beyond the consistent increases in exam pass rate at grant schools, enrollment also grew by 13% for underrepresented students at the urban grant school and by 6% at the suburban grant school. These results can be understood in context of Bioecological Systems Theory, which posits that individuals who experience interactions that underlie development in one environment, which they have not routinely experienced in other environments, will show greater development. In light of this study, this means underserved students may be able to close to the achievement gap to their more affluent peers if they have the necessary academic support. As a result, this study supports reducing barriers to advanced course enrollment, and creating systems to extend time for classroom instruction and teacher professional development.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and recognize if district-created student art assessments and teacher evaluations influenced the job satisfaction of art teachers due to the increased teacher turnovers and teacher shortages. The experiences, beliefs, and perceptions of the art teachers were critical in understanding and establishing if the increased implementation of the accountability measures added to the stress level and job satisfaction experienced by art teachers. The sample for this case study comprised of 10 male and female art teachers who were certified to teach art within the State of Florida for at least five years and were currently or formerly employed in the Central Florida region. The art teachers were invited first through email invitations and subsequent participants were recruited through the snowball method. Data gathered in this study was collected through audio and visual recordings through the semi-structured interview process. The data collected were analyzed using NVivo 11 Pro (QSR International, 2017) software to uncover themes, patterns, and critical phrases shared by participants. The five themes were: (a) there is a greater level of stress is experienced by teachers from student art assessments and teacher evaluations than ever before; (b) there is much confusion and lack of information on the purpose, procedures, and calculation of student art assessments and VAM scores; (c) class size and an overloaded schedule are detrimental to both the already heightened stress level of art teachers; (d) a supportive, understanding, and appreciative leadership team at each school has a positive impact on an art teacher; (e) a teacher evaluation system that is applicable and fitting for performing arts courses is a necessity within the district. Research findings from this qualitative study exposed the experiences, perceptions, and challenges art teachers have encountered in relation to the district-created student art assessments and teacher evaluations, while teaching in the Central Florida region.

Achievement data from the 3rd International Mathematics and Sciences Study and Program for International Student Assessment in science have indicated that Black students from economically disadvantaged families underachieve at alarming rates in comparison to White and economically advantaged peer groups. The study site was a predominately Black, urban school district experiencing underachievement. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between students’ use of inquiry-based laboratory investigations and their performance on the Biology End of Course Test, as well as to examine the relationship while partialling out the effects of student gender. Constructivist theory formed the theoretical foundation of the study. Students’ perceived levels of experience with inquiry-based laboratory investigations were measured using the Laboratory Program Variable Inventory (LPVI) survey. LPVI scores of 256 students were correlated with test scores and were examined by student gender. The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a small direct correlation between students’ experience in inquiry-based laboratory investigation classes and standardized test scores on the Biology EOCT. A partial correlational analysis indicated that the correlation remained after controlling for gender. This study may prompt a change from teacher-centered to student-centered pedagogy at the local site in order to increase academic achievement for all students. The results of this study may also influence administrators and policy makers to initiate local, state, or nationwide curricular development. A change in curriculum may promote social change as students become more competent, and more able, to succeed in life beyond secondary school.

This quasi-experimental value-added study provided evidence for the predictive validity of the Massachusetts MTEL General Curriculum Mathematics Subtest by finding an association between the licensure test results of 130 teachers and the growth of their 2640 grade 4 and 5 students. The study took advantage of a natural experiment that arose due to a policy change made by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MADESE) in response to the initial administration of a new highly rigorous math-specific licensure subtest for elementary and special education teachers in March, 2008. The emergency amendment allowed test takers to conditionally pass the licensure test based upon a lower, temporary cut score, therefore providing a comparison group of teachers who received conditional licensure without fully passing the licensure test. The study sample used a cross-sectional data set acquired from MADESE for the 2010-11 school year, the first year for which data was available that linked individual teachers to their students. The dependent variable of students' mathematics Student Growth Percentile (SGP) score on the statewide test, the MCAS, incorporated prior achievement and was calculated by comparing each student to his or her academic peers. OLS regression analyses including student background variables, classroom variables, and teacher characteristic variables showed that teacher results on the MTEL math test were positively associated with student math SGP scores. The strength of the association found in this study was substantial relative to the research literature and comparable in magnitude with established factors such as student low-income status. The predictive power of the MTEL math test was strongest at the lower range of test scores, suggesting that policymakers should consider lowering the permanent cut score to the level set by the emergency amendment in order to avoid screening effective teachers out of the workforce and potentially decreasing student achievement.

The use of quantitative data-driven instruction and assessment in the visual arts curriculum could impact the outcome of student creativity if employed within the visual arts, a content area that uses primarily qualitative pedagogy and assessment. In this paper I examine the effect upon measured creativity resulting from the use of Quantitative Data-Driven Assessment compared to the use of Authentic Assessment in the Visual Arts curriculum. This initial experimental research exposed eighth grade Visual Arts students to Authentic Assessment in one group, and Quantitative Data-Driven Assessment in another. Two experiments were conducted from the results. In the first experiment, both groups of student post-test art works are compared for mean creativity scores as defined by an independent expert panel of Art Educators. The second experiment compares for gains in pre-test/post-test creativity as the teacher assessed. Gains in mean creativity scores are compared between groups. Difference in assessment motivations are discussed as possible influencing factors.

Large achievement gaps have been found in ACT scores between high schools throughout the same state and in comparisons between states. In Missouri, four public high schools have consistently scored four points higher than the Missouri average for years 2007–2011. States, such as Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa, have shown consistent above average scores as compared to states with similar participation numbers throughout the nation. Schmoker (2006) believed that due to the existing culture of schools and school leadership, learning from others' successes is often discouraged; therefore, this study was conducted in an attempt to discover the best practices used in high-achieving high schools and states that obtain high student achievement on the ACT. Educational leaders within the top 5% of high schools in Missouri, based on a five-year (2007–2011) average of ACT scores, were surveyed to determine successful teaching strategies and programs educators in these schools are implementing. Leaders from consistently successful states (having higher than average ACT scores with a high percentage of participation) took part in a survey to extrapolate further characteristics regarding high achievement. Furthermore, the trends and the approaches that contribute to student success in states that require the ACT were examined through interview responses. While the study did not reveal any new best practices, the findings supported many best practices already in existence, and most importantly, showed the necessity for the development of a learning culture that emphasizes success and achievement.

High stakes testing has been imbedded into state and federal accountability systems as a result of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) for over a decade. Historically, in Arizona educational accountability centered around the evaluation of schools. Arizona's school accountability system, AZLEARNS, used a combination of student proficiency, thresholds for the percent of students exceeding the standard, inter cohort growth, and individual student growth to assign school labels. These calculations were performed using student results from Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS). Students were tested in grades three through eight and ten in Mathematics, Reading, Writing, and Science. AZLEARNS used several metrics to assign labels to public schools in Arizona. The labels ranged from Excelling to Failing and were predominately calculated using Mathematics and Reading AIMS test results.

In 2009, the Race to the Top (RTT) initiative prompted states to expand their educational accountability systems to include student achievement metrics in the evaluation of teachers and administrators. In Arizona, Senate Bill 1040 required districts to develop and implement a teacher evaluation instrument which includes 33% to 50% student achievement data. Districts were encouraged to include student performance on AIMS for teachers who directly instruct in the content areas of mathematics and reading. In addition to this shift of teacher accountability; in the 2010/2011 school year, Arizona developed the A-F School Accountability system which replaced AZLEARNS; a newly included metric in the AIMS data set, and the calculations of the letter grades in the A-F system is Student Growth Percentiles (SGP). SGPs accounted for fifty-percent of school and district grades under Arizona's A-F Accountability System. Arizona adopted a Value-Added Model (VAM) which incorporated up to three years of prior state assessment data which identified growth trajectories and assigned growth percentiles to each student. The Arizona VAM separated students into similar prior-year academic groups based on state assessments in Mathematics and Reading. Each student's SGP was calculated against only those students with similar academic performance. The A-F system used a combination of student proficiency and median growth percentiles in Mathematics and Reading AIMS scores. However, the specific usage of these metrics was not specified by SB 1040; consequently, districts throughout Arizona must decide which AIMS data to incorporate into the evaluation of teachers and administrators. This study examined a variety of calculation methodologies using student proficiency rates and SGPs in grades three through six on AIMS in a large suburban unified school district near Phoenix, Arizona to evaluate teacher effectiveness.

The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference existed between student learning, using the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), and Professional Learning Community (PLC) implementation within fifth-grade populations in the state of Missouri. The following research questions were utilized to drive the research: What is the difference in MAP communication arts scores for fifth-grade students in Missouri districts that have adopted the Missouri PLC model as compared to those that have not adopted the Missouri PLC model? What is the difference in MAP math scores for fifth-grade students in Missouri districts that have adopted the Missouri PLC model as compared to those that have not adopted the Missouri PLC model? What are the perceptions of administrators of Missouri PLC districts regarding the Missouri PLC program and student achievement? Three years of math and communication arts data were analyzed in this study. Yearly mean scores were compared by applying a t-test to determine if a statistical significance existed between PLC implementation and student learning. Missouri PLC exemplary schools' data were analyzed and compared to data of like-demographic, non-PLC implementing schools. The data revealed, in the area of communication arts, no statistical significant difference in student achievement between PLC exemplary schools and non-PLC schools. These findings led to the decision to not reject the null hypothesis and not support the alternative hypothesis. A statistical significant difference was found in the area of math, and an overall conclusion was drawn that supported the alternate hypothesis and rejected the null hypothesis. In addition, interviews were conducted with Missouri PLC exemplary school administrators to gain perspectives into the daily successful workings and effect of the Missouri PLC model on student achievement. Administrators from the PLC exemplary schools attributed gains in student achievement to PLC implementation.

Much research has been done on the correlations between SAT and ACT scores and student performance in college. However, research into independent school practices reveals little has been done at this level. The test many independent schools use is the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam). To date, no local or national research has been done on the correlation of ISEE scores and student performance. The purpose of this study was to analyze the school's historical entrance test scores and conduct research to determine how well they correlate with students' success at the school, specifically with freshmen end of year weighted GPA.

Data were gathered for all current, graduated, withdrawn, and expelled students from 2005-2012. For each student, the data included the ISEE scores in verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, and mathematics achievement. Also gathered was each student's 9^th grade weighted cumulative GPA. Seven extracts were performed to identify students who were new freshmen to the high school beginning with 2005.

The study concluded that the test scores are not the best predictor of student success, but they are a factor to be taken into consideration. Regression analysis revealed a weak positive relationship among the four ISEE sub scores and end of year freshman weighted GPA. Combined, the four showed that 30% of the variability of GPA can be attributed to the testing results.

Not easily measured, admission decisions are a delicate balance of qualitative and quantitative measures.

The school will use the research as a guideline for admission decisions and use caution in proceeding in the overuse of test scores as a large mitigating factor. It is known that there is a relationship but decision-makers must take a holistic approach.