Enhancing the Validity and Usefulness of Large-Scale Educational Assessments: I. NELS:88 Mathematics Achievement

Haggai Kupermintz; Michele M. Ennis; Laura S. Hamilton; Joan E. Talbert; Richard E. Snow

doi:10.2307/1163323

Enhancing the Validity and Usefulness of Large-Scale Educational Assessments: I. NELS:88 Mathematics Achievement

Haggai Kupermintz, Michele M. Ennis, Laura S. Hamilton, Joan E. Talbert, Richard E. Snow

Department of Learning and Instructional Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study demonstrates that the validity and usefulness of mathematics achievement tests can be improved by defining psychologically meaningful subscores that yield differential relations with student, teacher, and school variables. The NELS:88 8th- and 10th-grade math tests were subjected to full information item factor analysis. Math knowledge and math reasoning factors were distinguished at both grade levels. Regression analyses showed that student attitudes, instructional variables, course, and program experiences related more to knowledge, whereas gender, SES, and some ethnic differences related more to reasoning. Teacher emphasis on higher order thinking, student use of home computers, and early experience with advanced math courses related to both dimensions. It is recommended that national educational surveys use multidimensional achievement scores, not total scores alone.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	525-554
Number of pages	30
Journal	American Educational Research Journal
Volume	32
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2307/1163323
State	Published - 1995

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title = "Enhancing the Validity and Usefulness of Large-Scale Educational Assessments: I. NELS:88 Mathematics Achievement",

abstract = "This study demonstrates that the validity and usefulness of mathematics achievement tests can be improved by defining psychologically meaningful subscores that yield differential relations with student, teacher, and school variables. The NELS:88 8th- and 10th-grade math tests were subjected to full information item factor analysis. Math knowledge and math reasoning factors were distinguished at both grade levels. Regression analyses showed that student attitudes, instructional variables, course, and program experiences related more to knowledge, whereas gender, SES, and some ethnic differences related more to reasoning. Teacher emphasis on higher order thinking, student use of home computers, and early experience with advanced math courses related to both dimensions. It is recommended that national educational surveys use multidimensional achievement scores, not total scores alone.",

author = "Haggai Kupermintz and Ennis, {Michele M.} and Hamilton, {Laura S.} and Talbert, {Joan E.} and Snow, {Richard E.}",

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AU - Snow, Richard E.

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AB - This study demonstrates that the validity and usefulness of mathematics achievement tests can be improved by defining psychologically meaningful subscores that yield differential relations with student, teacher, and school variables. The NELS:88 8th- and 10th-grade math tests were subjected to full information item factor analysis. Math knowledge and math reasoning factors were distinguished at both grade levels. Regression analyses showed that student attitudes, instructional variables, course, and program experiences related more to knowledge, whereas gender, SES, and some ethnic differences related more to reasoning. Teacher emphasis on higher order thinking, student use of home computers, and early experience with advanced math courses related to both dimensions. It is recommended that national educational surveys use multidimensional achievement scores, not total scores alone.

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ER -

Enhancing the Validity and Usefulness of Large-Scale Educational Assessments: I. NELS:88 Mathematics Achievement

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