Factor analysis is widely utilized to identify latent factors underlying the observed variables. This paper presents a comprehensive comparative study of two widely used methods for determining the optimal number of factors in factor analysis, the K1 rule, and parallel analysis, along with a more recently developed method, the bass-ackward method.…

What is this report about? This report presents the largest empirical evaluation of test equating methods ever conducted. Equating is the process of identifying scores on different test forms that can be treated as equivalent. Whilst various equating methods are available, there remains no consensus on which are most effective under which…

Background: Effectiveness studies that ignore costs can lead to misguided policies. For instance, reducing class sizes gained traction due to positive outcomes on student achievement (Konstantopoulos & Li, 2012; Krueger, 1999), yet cost-effectiveness studies revealed the high-cost relative to its modest benefits (Brewer et al., 1999). More…

Large-scale survey assessments (LSAs) such as NAEP, TIMSS, PIRLS, IELS, and NAPLAN produce plausible values of student proficiency for estimating population statistics. Plausible values are imputed values for latent proficiency variables. While prominently used for LSAs, they are applicable to a wide range of latent variable modelling contexts…

Most methods for structural equation modeling (SEM) focused on the analysis of covariance matrices. However, "Historically, interesting psychological theories have been phrased in terms of correlation coefficients." This might be because data in social and behavioral sciences typically do not have predefined metrics. While proper methods…

Parallel analysis has been considered one of the most accurate methods for determining the number of factors in factor analysis. One major advantage of parallel analysis over traditional factor retention methods (e.g., Kaiser's rule) is that it addresses the sampling variability of eigenvalues obtained from the identity matrix, representing the…

Discussions of what it means to be an effective outdoor leader are common in outdoor education literature (Martin et al., 2025; Smith, 2021). Research has identified core competencies (Martin et al., 2025), conceptual frameworks (Pomfret et al., 2023), and course curricula/qualifications for effective leadership (Baker & O'Brien, 2019; Seaman…

This paper introduces AIRSim (AI Responses Simulator), an innovative AI tool designed to support students in practicing their questionnaire analysis skills within the café and restaurant discipline. Utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), AIRSim generates hypothetical feedback data to facilitate student learning. Through a series of 16…

Despite the increasing use of the statistical programming language R in statistics and data analysis (SDA), its implementation in communication science education is limited. Experiences, recommendations, and a critical exchange are therefore scarce. The following contribution addresses this very gap. At the Department of Journalism and…

Background/purpose: It revisits Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) as a robust tool for analyzing non-normal data and small samples, offering predictive modeling advantages. This study also compares the merits, practical applications, and added value of both tools in tackling complicated research issues, notably in…

Quantitative studies of educational inequity, or inequality, often perpetuate troubling, deficit-based ideologies that have a disproportionate impact on discourse around racism in public education. In this review, we systematically analyze 52 quantitative studies of racial inequity or inequality from high-reach journals to understand how…

This systematic review examines the empirical research conducted in the past decade to investigate the application of immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) in geography higher education. Our analysis includes 29 empirical studies published across 25 peer-reviewed articles and delves into IVR applications from four key perspectives: the temporal and…

This teaching brief presents a new experiential exercise for teaching statistical process control (SPC) within a quality management course. This novel approach involves a semester-long personal quality control project, where students apply SPC methodology to their daily habits, using data collected from their smart devices. Surveys conducted at…

Engaging in anti-oppressive, evidence-based practice in the social work field demands preparation for research methods during social work education. However, while faculty members at institutions of higher education have access to more technology than ever before and teach graduate students who use technology constantly in their personal lives,…

Educational reform priorities such as emphasis on quantitative modelling (QM) have positioned undergraduate biology instructors as designers of QM experiences to engage students in authentic science practices that support the development of data-driven and evidence-based reasoning. Yet, little is known about how biology instructors adapt to the…