Gender-Based Differential Item Performance in Mathematics Achievement Items

A procedure for the detection of differential item performance (DIP) is used to investigate the relationships between characteristics of mathematics achievement items and gender differences in performance. Eight randomly equivalent samples of high school seniors were each given a unique form of the ACT Assessment Mathematics Usage Test (ACTM). Students without requisite mathematics courses were deleted from the samples to reduce the confounding effects of differences in instruction at the high school level. Signed measures of DIP were obtained for each item in the eight ACTM forms. These DIP estimates were then analyzed in a 6 × 8 (item category by form) experimental design. A significant item category effect was found indicating a relationship between item characteristics and gender-based DIP. Predictions, based on previous research about the categories of items that would contribute to gender-based DIP, were supported: Geometry and mathematics reasoning items were relatively more difficult for female examinees and the more algorithmic, computation-oriented items were relatively easier.     

Does the Rasch Model Really Work for Multiple-Choice Items? Take Another Look: A Response to Divgi

Divgi's (1986) study concludes, largely on the basis of a proposed test o f fit that is designed to be more powerful than Wright and Panchapakesan's (I 969) test, that the Rasch model is never appropriate for use with multiple-choice type test items. This paper is an attempt to refute the conclusions of Divgi's study.     

A Closer Look at Using Judgments of Item Difficulty to Change Answers on Computerized Adaptive Tests

Recent studies have shown that restricting review and answer change opportunities on computerized adaptive tests (CATs) to items within successive blocks reduces time spent in review, satisfies most examinees' desires for review, and controls against distortion in proficiency estimates resulting from intentional incorrect answering of items prior to review. However, restricting review opportunities on CATs may not prevent examinees from artificially raising proficiency estimates by using judgments of item difficulty to signal when to change previous answers. We evaluated six strategies for using item difficulty judgments to change answers on CATs and compared the results to those from examinees reviewing and changing answers in the usual manner. The strategy conditions varied in terms of when examinees were prompted to consider changing answers and in the information provided about the consistency of the item selection algorithm. We found that examinees fared best on average when they reviewed and changed answers in the usual manner. The best gaming strategy was one in which the examinees knew something about the consistency of the item selection algorithm and were prompted to change responses only when they were unsure about answer correctness and sure about their item difficulty judgments. However, even this strategy did not produce a mean gain in proficiency estimates.     

高中数学教材中集合难度的比较研究

当前我国教材研究已成为教师面临的重要问题。以人教版和北师大版中的集合内容为研究对象,利用难度模型法,考虑题目的探究、背景、运算、推理和知识含量等综合难度数据的统计和对比分析,得到结论:北师大版题目设置难度高于人教版,更注重综合知识的运用。     

促进中小学数学教学衔接的初一年级数学前测命题研究

中小学教学衔接问题一直以来备受关注,发挥评价的诊断和导向功能是解决该问题的新尝试。以北京市某区初一年级数学前测为例,探讨如何制定测试的内容框架和能力框架,呈现部分试题,并从学科能力的角度进行分析。据此提出初一前测命题应符合课程标准、应服务于考查目标、应体现诊断功能等建议。     

关于消除《经济数学》网络学习过程中畏难心理的研究

由于《经济数学》的抽象性和枯燥性特点,使得学习者在网络学习中存在着比较明显的畏难情绪和畏难心理。如何消除这一畏难情绪,保持良好的学习状态和健康心理,是远程教育管理者的首要任务,而要解决这一任务的关键是要强化心理疏导,提升他们的学习信心。只要有效、有序地开展心理疏导,激发他们参与《经济数学》学习的热情与激情,就能不断提升远程学习的学习效果。     

从英语习语和汉语成语看民族文化差异

语言是跨文化交际中最主要的手段。在运用语言进行跨文化交际时,由于民族文化差异,难免会遇到具有鲜明文化特色的成语和习语,而对此确切地理解并正确地加以运用,则是一个十分重要而又复杂的问题。     

从变异理论看国际比较中数学教与学的差异

这是瑞典教育家马腾教授一行四人于2002年5月中旬,在考察了上海青浦的教改情况后所作的一次演讲。马腾曾从现象图式学的角度提出了他的变异(variation)理论,该理论认为:学习源于变异,或者说学习就是审辩,审辩依赖于对变异的认识。从这一观点出发,他指出“教师应当通过变异维数的扩展引导学生更好地去认识对象的各个方面”,以便为未来更具不确定性的变异作好准备。马腾用变异理论分析了数学教与学的国际差异,肯定我国数学教改中关于学生学习方式、教师学习条件的若干优势。这是从一个西方学者的角度看东方的成功之处。遗憾的是,在这个演讲中他没有谈及我们确实存在的问题与落后面:例如学生负担量、探索自由度限制等方面。外国人在研究中国,中国人怎么研究外国、尤其是包括西方在内各发达国家的先进经验,这是我们应该做和必须做的重要工作。     

试论在数学教学中如何培养民族学生的创新意识

创新是一个民族的灵魂。实施素质教育的关键和重点就是要不遗余力地着力培养学生的创新能力,让学生的个性思维得到充分全面的发展,这是当前教育工作者积极探索的重要课题。本文从发挥民族学生创造潜能,培养其多角度思考问题,积极探索创新等方面出发,就数学教学如何培养民族学生的创新意识进行了认真探讨。     

浅谈数学美

数学美体现在数学的结构、图形、布局和形式中,但是大部分学生都不能把数学与美联系在一起。文章就数学中所体现的对称美、简洁美、和谐美、奇异美、统一美作一简单阐述,揭示数学美的内涵,以激发学生学数学的兴趣。     

俄罗斯国家数学教育标准(小学部分)简介

俄罗斯最新(2004年)颁布的小学数学教育标准包括:小学数学的教学目的;教学大纲规定必学的最少内容;对培养毕业生水平的要求。为保持俄罗斯小学数学教育的统一性,并为教科书的编写和教师的教学提供宽广的创造性空间,教育部还提供了一个示范性小学数学教学大纲。     

《印度之行》与“交往”之旅

人与人之间的交往是福斯特小说的基本主题,在《印度之行》中,对交往的探索被置入跨越东西化的宏阔背景。小说通过两位英国妇女在印主的旅行,展示了化交往的复杂过程和种种困境。透过化之间的疏离、差异和对峙,福斯特最终发现,只有超越的、博大的爱才是人类普遍的惟一的联结。     

从性别盲点到性别误区？我国大众文化中的女性形象外观论析

在以文艺为中心的大众文化中，现代中国妇女的形象外观经历了一个复杂的历史文化过程，激进时代的性别压抑体现为大规模的男女混装实践，男女性别差异消失在阶级对立之中。当今的商业化潮流使男女性别于差异凸显，妇女形象成为男性欲望化了的对象，带有明显的性歧视色彩。在妇女形象外观嬗变的背后，居于主流地位的男权话语起着明显的支配作用。     

纠正基础数学研究中的一个错误

该文研究了双曲线的内接正三角形的一般规律,纠正了基础数学研究中存在的一个错误,解决了双曲线内接正三角形的存在性问题,并且给出了相应的计算方法.     

浅谈中学数学解题转化思路

数学解题中的许多问题是通过转化而使问题得到解决的 .本文拟就从恒等变形转化、引进参数转化两方面来阐述转化思想的解题方法     

数学教学中培养学生思维能力的探讨

结合实例,从数形结合、换元法的利用、一题多解等方面探讨对学生思维能力的培养。