Browsing by Subject "psychometrics"
Item Pre-service Teachers' Knowledge of Algebra Teaching for Equity(2013-12-09) Anderson, LatoyaThis study examined validity and reliability of an instrument used to measure the cultural awareness beliefs and problem-solving strategies of pre-service mathematics teachers created by the Knowledge for Teaching Algebra Equitably (KATE) project team at Texas A&M University. The dissertation was comprised of three journal articles. The first article synthesized literature pertaining to teacher?s cultural awareness knowledge and beliefs for teaching mathematics equitably in the middle grades. A search of the Texas A&M Library database was used to find articles that matched criteria related to instruments that determined information from pre-service mathematics teachers pertaining to cultural awareness knowledge and beliefs, equity, and mathematical content knowledge. An exhaustive meta-synthesis showed that there were no current instruments that matched all of the above criteria. The second article estimated the reliability and validity of the KATE instrument. Internal consistency reliability for the equity items was estimated to be .77 using Cronbach?s alpha. An alpha value of .6 was used as the baseline for determining suitable internal consistency reliability. Content validity was estimated for the entire KATE instrument by discussing the appropriateness and wording of the items from the Knowledge for Teaching Algebra Equitably (KATE) instrument with a panel of experts reading responses PTs gave on the KATE instrument, and assessing feedback from PTs enrolled in the course. This resulted in the insertion, deletion, and rewording of items. Construct validity was estimated by conducting an exploratory factor analysis of the equity items which estimated six factors. Lastly, the third article revealed preliminary results from pre-service teachers who participated in the Knowledge for Teaching Algebra Equitably Project at Texas A&M University in the fall of 2011 and fall of 2012. An analysis of the test scores from the pre-service teachers (PTs) from the pre-test to the post-test was done comparing scores from PTs in both semesters. The two groups were not statistically different. The effects of the course on (a) beliefs about equity, (b) problem solving, and (c) teaching problem solving was reported in confidence intervals that showed the equity items were not statistically significantly different, but the problem solving and teaching problem solving items were. A MANOVA was used to determine the difference in teaching problem solving scores was due to semester, race, and class by certification. The adjusted R^(2) values were reported to provide the correlation between the independent and dependent variables.Item Psychometric Impacts of Above-Level Testing(2012-07-16) Warne, Russell ThomasAbove-level testing is the practice administering a test level?of usually an academic achievement or aptitude test?to a gifted or high achieving child. This procedure is widely accepted in gifted education circles, on the basis of theoretical claims that above-level testing raises the test ceiling, increases variability among gifted students? scores, improves reliability of data, reduces regression toward the mean, and improves interpretation of data from gifted students. However, above-level testing has not been subject to careful psychometric scrutiny. In this study, I examine reliability data, growth trajectories, distributions, and group differences of above-level test scores obtained from the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED). Subjects in this study were 224 students tested a total of 435 times while enrolled in a gifted magnet program for middle schoolers. Longitudinal analyses performed with hierarchical linear modeling indicate that substantial differences exist between students from overrepresented ethnicities (White and Asian Americans) and those from underrepresented ethnicities (Hispanic and African Americans) in both initial scores and the rate of score gains. Gender differences existed only for the rate of score increases for above-level reading scores. Socioeconomic differences existed, but did not have a unique impact beyond that of the ethnicity variable. A discussion of the place of these results within the wider gifted education research context and suggestions for further research are included. An appendix to the study gives information about item difficulty indexes for every item in the ITBS/ITED core battery for the eighth, ninth, and tenth grade levels of Form C.Item The Impact of Genital Self-Image on Gynecological Exam Behaviors of College-Aged Women(2012-07-16) DeMaria, Andrea LaineHuman papillomavirus (HPV) affects at least half of all sexually active people, especially those aged 20-24 years. Gynecological exams are instrumental in cervical cancer prevention due to the early detection of abnormal cervical cells often caused by HPV. Despite the many benefits of gynecological exams, they continue to be underused. Women are often unaware of exam guidelines, procedures, and costs. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used to predict and explain exam behaviors. A woman?s decision to seek gynecological care may be influenced by numerous factors, including: genital self-image, body image and sexual behaviors. The purpose of this study was to: 1) determine if the TPB explains and predicts exam behaviors, 2) assess if genital self-image, body image and sexual behaviors predict exam behaviors, and 3) evaluate the reliability and validity of data collected on the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS) among a sample of female college students. The study included a convenience sample of 450 women enrolled in health-related courses at a large Southern university in the US. SEM analyses revealed gynecological exam intention was a successful predictor of exam behaviors: ?2 (81, N = 450) = 258.49, p <> <> <> .001, RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.96 and NFI = 0.95. The addition of genital self-image to the TPB model yielded similar fit indices; however, the TPB alone appears to be more predictive of exam behaviors. Predictive discriminant analysis (PDA) was used to indicate the predictor, or group of predictors, best suited to predict gynecological exam behavior. PDA results indicate the number of vaginal intercourse partners during the past 3-months was most predictive (hit rate = 68.2%). A CFA yielded a two-factor FGSIS model: ?2 (12, N = 450) = 49.77, p <> .001, RMSEA = 0.08, CFI = 0.98 and NFI = 0.97. Reliability assessments indicated very good internal consistency for the entire scale (? = 0.89), for factor one (? = 0.86) and factor two (? = 0.82). Results have implications for the development of sexual health and women?s health programs targeting factors influencing gynecological exam behaviors. Specifically, scores on the FGSIS can establish relationships between genital self-image and exam behaviors of college women.