THE EFFECT OF PHYSICAL CONDITIONS OF THE TEST ROOM ON STANDARDIZED ACHIEVEMENT TEST SCORES

A group of 384 ninth-grade students were given a standardized achievement test, half under relatively poor physical conditions in an auditorium and half in relatively adequate physical conditions in regular classrooms. An analysis of covariance (using I.Q. as the covariate) indicated no significant difference due to the physical conditions.     

THE EFFECTS OF FOUR METHODS OF ADMINISTRATION ON TEST ACHIEVEMENT

The purpose of the study was to compare three methods of individual test administration (interview, self-paced tape, speaker-paced tape) and one group method (speaker-paced tape). Individual administrations were done in carrels in a portable van. Subjects were third-and seventh-grade students in 15 California public schools. Overall differences among test administration methods on multiple-choice test scores were not significant for either grade group; although for both grades, the mean score under the group administration method was highest. On short-answer exercises, third-graders performed significantly better in individual interview administrations. For seventh-graders, scores on short-answer questions were significantly higher under the interview and group speaker-paced methods than under the individual speaker-paced method.     

ACHIEVEMENT TEST RELIABILITY AS A FUNCTION OF PUPIL-RESPONSE PROCEDURES

Muller, Calhoun, and Orling (1972) conclude that test reliability is dependent on the type of answer document used by elementary pupils. The present study was designed in part to assess the differential effect of two pupil response procedures (answering directly in the test booklet versus on a separate answer folder) on Metropolitan Achievement Tests scores of grades 3 and 4 pupils.
Over 4000 pupils from nine school systems took the Metropolitan , half responding in their booklets and half using answer folders. The two groups were matched by grade in general scholastic aptitude.
Although the separate answer folder group received lower scores than did the group responding in the test booklets, the score reliabilities did not differ significantly for any test. Additionally, these reliabilities did not differ significantly from comparable Metropolitan normative reliabilities. For survey achievement tests such as Metropolitan , test reliability would not appear to depend on pupil response mode.     

大学生成就动机的发展特点研究

大学生成就动机主要是实现自身的价值,充分发挥自己的潜力,希望这种追求能符合社会需要,并获得社会的承认。研究表明,大学生的成就动机水平在四年期间并没有显著的变化。就学业方面来说,从一年级到四年级成就动机水平逐年下降;大学生的成就动机在城乡维度上有差异,但是未能达到显著水平;家庭背景和家庭经济状况对成就动机水平有显著影响;大学生成就动机的个人取向比较突出,但是两种取向是并存的。目前大学生的成就动机在整个学习动机中只是中等水平的作用。     

DETECTION OF A SKILL DICHOTOMY USING STANDARDIZED ACHIEVEMENT TEST ITEMS

Multiple-choice reading comprehension items from a conventional, norm-referenced reading comprehension test are successfully analyzed using a simple latent class model. A classification rule for assigning respondents to "mastery" or "nonmastery" states is presented which simplifies the scoring procedure of Macready and Dayton (1977). A procedure is also derived for estimating the "true," or "disattenuated," latent cross-classification of masters versus nonmasters for two tests, and illustrated using two sets of items from the same content domain. Results support the use of latent class, state mastery models with more heterogeneous item pools than has been advocated by previous authors.     

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A TEST OF INFORMATION STORAGE DURING READING1

Previous research has suggested potential advantages for a new type of item for measuring comprehension in reading and listening. The test items are called “chunked” and consist of groups of meaningfully related words in which certain groups have been changed in meaning from the original passage. A chunked type of test, designed to indicate information stored during reading, was developed and analyzed in two studies. The results of Study 1, indicated that the constructed test items were successful in differentiating between readers and nonreaders of the newly composed reading passages. “Using the results of Study I, test items were revised and two forms of a test were produced, complete with standardized instructions. The major purpose of Study 2 was to evaluate the extent to which the revised and standardization test could discriminate between a group of individuals who took the test in its standard form and another group which was given the same amount of time to work on the test items but was not given the benefit of reading the passages. The major result in Study 2 was that individuals who had not read the passages experienced a 75% decrement in their performance on Form A of the Chunked Reading Test as compared to individuals who had read the passages, and for Form B, nonreaders experienced a 78% decrement. From these re- sults, it was concluded that the Chunked Reading Test is a valid test of information storage during reading in terms of its utility in measuring the differences in information stored between readers and nonreaders of passages, and that it offers many advantages over the traditional standardized reading tests.     

THE EFFECTS OF COGNITIVE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT

Three teaching methods were compared in this study, namely a Cognitive Conflict Management Module (CCM) that is infused into Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE), (Module A) CASE without CCM (Module B) and a conventional teaching method. This study employed a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design using non-equivalent control groups. The design involved 130 participants from Form 2 (Grade 7) in a Malaysian secondary school. The cognitive level of all participants was classified as non-formal operational on the pre-test and were allocated to one of the four intact groups: experimental group 1, EP1 experienced Module A, experimental group, and EP2 experienced Module B, while the others were divided between two control groups. The impact of the three teaching methods on the level of cognitive development and science achievement were observed after a 20-week intervention. Data were analysed using multivariate analysis of variance/multivariate analysis of covariance, analysis of covariance and a paired-samples t test. It is hoped that this study can contribute to knowledge in the field of cognitive intervention and cognitive conflict strategy. The findings show that a high dose of cognitive intervention in CASE activities within a short period has an effect on the levels of students’ cognitive development, standard science achievement and constructive cognitive conflict.     

DETECTING IMPACTS OF CURRICULAR DIFFERENCES IN ACHIEVEMENT TEST DATA

Standardized tests are designed to measure broad goals. But many professionals have been concerned with the lack of fairly specific matches between items (or objectives) on a test and the curriculum (instruction). This study assessed the differences in standardized test scores resulting from curricular differences in two school systems. The degree of curriculum-test match for reading and math in grades 3 and 6 was based on ratings of that match by qualified district personnel. Further, results of using different textbook series were analyzed. The dependent variables of test and subtest scores were analyzed using a two-factor MANCOVA where textbook series and school personnel ratings were the two factors, and pretest scores and percent eligible for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) were the covariates. None of the multivariate F tests were significant at the .05 level. It was concluded that neither the curricular match as judged by district personnel or the textbook series used had a significant impact on standardized test scores.     

钩端螺旋体病的实验室检测研究及进展

钩端螺旋体病是由钩端螺旋体所引起的一种人畜共患疾病，其临床症状复杂多变，必须依赖于实验室方法方能确诊。本大综述了钩端螺旋体病的实验室检测方法及其研究进展，并且对这些方法进行了简评。     

A CROSS-VALIDATION STUDY OF THE ITEM ORDERING OF THE PEABODY PICTURE VOCABULARY TEST1

A subset of the items of both forms of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) was administered to a sample of 452 fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students. This sample of students was randomly divided into two equal subgroups. Item difficulty indices were calculated for each of the two subsamples for each of the two forms of the test. Data obtained from the first subsample were used to evaluate the published ordering of items of Forms A and B of the PPVT and to reorder the items according to the empirically derived item difficulties. The second subsample was used as a cross-validation sample to evaluate the empirically derived reordering of items. The results of the cross-validation of the reordering indicate a substantial and significant increase in the validity of the item orderings for this subset of items on both forms of the PPVT. Therefore, this new ordering may yield a more accurate estimate of the intelligence of average and above students in the fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grades than the present, published ordering of items.     

PREDICTING MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT: THE INFLUENCE OF PRIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTITUDES

Achievement in mathematics is inextricably linked to future career opportunities, and therefore, understanding those factors that influence achievement is important. This study sought to examine the relationships among attitude towards mathematics, ability and mathematical achievement. This examination was also supported by a focus on gender effects. By drawing on a sample of Australian secondary school students, it was demonstrated through the results of a multivariate analysis of variance that females were more likely to hold positive attitudes towards mathematics. In addition, the predictive capacity of prior achievement and attitudes towards mathematics on a nationally recognised secondary school mathematics examination was shown to be large (R ²  =  0.692). However, when these predictors were controlled, the influence of gender was non-significant. Moreover, a structural equation model was developed from the same measures and subsequent testing indicated that the model offered a reasonable fit of the data. The positing and testing of this model signifies growth in the Australian research literature by showing the contribution that ability (as measured by standardised test results in numeracy and literacy) and attitude towards mathematics play in explaining mathematical achievement in secondary school. The implications of these results for teachers, parents and other researchers are then considered.