The Benefits of Fixed Item Parameter Calibration for Parameter Accuracy in Small Sample Situations in Large‐Scale Assessments

Large‐scale assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) have field trials where new survey features are tested for utility in the main survey. Because of resource constraints, there is a trade‐off between how much of the sample can be used to test new survey features and how much can be used for the initial item response theory (IRT) scaling. Utilizing real assessment data of the PISA 2015 Science assessment, this article demonstrates that using fixed item parameter calibration (FIPC) in the field trial yields stable item parameter estimates in the initial IRT scaling for samples as small as n = 250 per country. Moreover, the results indicate that for the recovery of the county‐specific latent trait distributions, the estimates of the trend items (i.e., the information introduced into the calibration) are crucial. Thus, concerning the country‐level sample size of n = 1,950 currently used in the PISA field trial, FIPC is useful for increasing the number of survey features that can be examined during the field trial without the need to increase the total sample size. This enables international large‐scale assessments such as PISA to keep up with state‐of‐the‐art developments regarding assessment frameworks, psychometric models, and delivery platform capabilities.     

Comparability in Balanced Assessment Systems for State Accountability

The purpose of this study was to test methods that strengthen the comparability claims about annual determinations of student proficiency in English language arts, math, and science (Grades 3–12) in the New Hampshire Performance Assessment of Competency Education (NH PACE) pilot project. First, we examined the literature in order to define comparability outside the bounds of strict score interchangeability and explored methods for estimating comparability that support a balanced assessment system for state accountability such as the NH PACE pilot. Second, we applied two strategies—consensus scoring and a rank‐ordering method—to estimate comparability in Year 1 of the NH PACE pilot based upon the expert judgment of 85 teachers using 396 student work samples. We found the methods were effective for providing evidence of comparability and also detecting when threats to comparability were present. The evidence did not indicate meaningful differences in district average scoring and therefore did not support adjustments to district‐level cut scores used to create annual determinations. The article concludes with a discussion of the technical challenges and opportunities associated with innovative, balanced assessment systems in an accountability context.     

Measurement,Sampling, and Equating Errors in Large-Scale Assessments

In large-scale assessments, such as state-wide testing programs, national sample-based assessments, and international comparative studies, there are many steps involved in the measurement and reporting of student achievement. There are always sources of inaccuracies in each of the steps. It is of interest to identify the source and magnitude of the errors in the measurement process that may threaten the validity of the final results. Assessment designers can then improve the assessment quality by focusing on areas that pose the highest threats to the results. This paper discusses the relative magnitudes of three main sources of error with reference to the objectives of assessment programs: measurement error, sampling error, and equating error. A number of examples from large-scale assessments are used to illustrate these errors and their impact on the results. The paper concludes by making a number of recommendations that could lead to an improvement of the accuracies of large-scale assessment results.     

The multiple effects of international large-scale assessment on education policy and research

This paper introduces a serendipitous special issue of Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, focusing on the rise of large-scale international testing and performance data in school system accountability and the effects that such changes have produced in education policy and research. These developments are theorised in terms of the reworking of the State and networked modes of governance, including the increased involvement of edu-businesses in education policy-making and enactment, and the emergence of new topological spatialities and connectivities associated with globalisation. We contend that the prevalence of international large-scale assessments has greatly enhanced the mutual ‘visibility’ between participating national (and subnational) schooling systems within a commensurate space of measurement, which in turn makes possible new ways of acting in light of ‘evidence-informed’ policy-making. This analysing and theorising serves to both contextualise and introduce the papers included in this special issue. The paper closes by considering the implications of such developments on education policy and research, and how this necessitates the development for a new approach for researchers engaged in policy analysis, now and into the future.     

数据赋能对企业绩效的影响：战略柔性的中介作用

立足于数据赋能与企业绩效关系这一基本问题,从能力视角出发对数据赋能进行重新定义,以战略柔性为中介变量,构建了数据赋能、战略柔性以及企业绩效三者之间的关系模型。以155家大型制造业企业样本数据,通过层次回归分析实证检验了数据赋能对企业绩效的具体作用机制。研究结果显示：数据赋能对企业绩效存在显著提升作用;战略柔性在分维度的数据赋能对企业绩效的影响上中介作用显著。     

大工程观视域下大学生科技创新活动研究

在国际流行回归大工程观的理念下,根据时代要求,对高校大学生科技创新活动进行研究分析,掌握大学生科技创新活动发展的内涵、培养模式及未来发展趋势。     

基于合作协同进化遗传算法的大型工程项目组合管理模型研究

针对大型工程项目组合管理问题,在分析工程项目组合中项目间收益、资源、工期和结果相关性的基础上,建立考虑相关性的工程项目组合选择数学模型。将合作协同进化算法与遗传算法相结合,应用于工程项目组合选择模型问题的求解,根据工程项目实施阶段划分不同的子种群,各子种群之间通过合作协同进化算法进行协调。最后,通过实例计算验证了算法的有效性和实用性。     

基于全生命周期集成的大型工程项目风险控制模型

基于工程项目全生命周期管理的角度和综合集成方法,应用动态规划方法建立大型工程项目的风险控制模型,对大型工程项目实行全生命周期的动态集成风险管理。并以某大型工程施工期间的风险管理为例来验证模型的可行性和有效性,提出大型工程项目的工程主体应当遵照ALARP的风险可接受准则来实施风险控制措施,将风险降低到合理和实用的范围:只有当降低风险的成本和所获得的效益之比是在合理的可接受的情况下,才应执行这一风险控制措施。     

大型国际体育赛事对现代城市建设的影响效应

大型国际体育赛事,是在城市全球化深入影响以及全球城市治理转型的双重背景下,产生的以提高城市竞争力为目的的现代城市建设的助推手段之一。在全球化过程营造的日益蓬勃发展的城市建设中,被誉为城市空间增长的大型国际体育赛事活动将随着全球性的体育产业经济转移在世界各国得到广泛开展。大型国际体育赛事的成功举办,会对现代城市建设产生重大而深远的影响,其表现特征为:大型国际体育赛事的举办将为城市社会、经济、文化和体育事业的建设注入新的活力,能够显著地促进城市体育场馆设施的进步和完善,体现了现代城市建设的综合实力,在增强城市建设国际影响力、带动城市消费市场以及产业发展的同时,还提高了城市居民文化体育生活水平及文明素养,从而全面提升了举办城市的竞争力。     

What Do School‐Level Scores From Large‐Scale Assessments Really Measure?

Although assessments of mathematics, reading, and writing are assumed to measure distinct academic skills, this may be difficult owing to the pervasive influence of general ability on performance. Factor analyses of school-level data from 14 large-scale assessment programs revealed that 80% of the variance in mathematics, reading, and writing scores was due to a common, underlying factor. Multiple regression analyses confirmed that scores contribute little information that is unique to a particular subject (6% or less). Although different assessments may create the illusion of providing unique information, they may be tapping into generic cognitive abilities that cut across content areas. These results raise suspicions about the value and validity of interpretations based on school-level subject area scores.