The paper reports on the introduction of the graphics calculator into three centralised examination systems, which were located in Denmark, Victoria (Australia) and the International Baccalaureate. The introduction of the graphics calculator required those responsible for writing examination questions to consider how to assess mathematical skills…

This article discusses a case study on an item writing process that reflects on our practical experience in an item development project. The purpose of the article is to share our lessons from the experience aiming to demystify item writing process. The study investigated three issues that naturally emerged during the project: how item writers use…

Standard setting is a systematic process that uses a combination of judgmental and empirical procedures to make recommendations about where on the score continuum "cut scores" should be placed. Cut scores divide the score scale into categories consistent with the descriptions of student performance associated with multiple levels of achievement.…

Background: Health disparities between adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) and the general population have been well documented but, to date, no dedicated assessment battery for measuring health disparity has been available. This paper reports on the development and testing of a multinational assessment battery for collecting data on a…

Classroom teachers are in the front line of introducing students to formal learning, including assessments, which can be assumed to continue for students should they extend their schooling past the expected mandatory 12 years. The purpose of the present investigation was to survey secondary teachers' beliefs of classroom and large-scale tests for…

Community engagement professionals and partners serve as, work with, study, and build the capacity of boundary spanners. To augment knowledge about these functions, the Weerts-Sandmann Boundary Spanning Conceptual Framework (2010) has been operationalized through a survey instrument to examine community engagement boundary-spanning behaviors by…

Background: Several states have implemented childhood obesity surveillance programs supported by legislation. Representatives from Idaho wished to develop a model for childhood obesity surveillance without the support of state legislation, and subsequently report predictors of overweight and obesity in the state. Methods: A coalition comprised of…

The measurement of treatment integrity is critical to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of evidence-based programs (EBPs) designed to improve the developmental outcomes of young children at risk of emotional/behavioral disorders. Unfortunately, the science of treatment integrity measurement lags behind the development and evaluation of EBP…

This study developed an Internet Usage Scale (IUS) for use with adolescent populations. The IUS is a 26-item scale that measures participants' beliefs about how their Internet usage impacts their behavior. The sample for this study consisted of 947 middle school students. An exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation was conducted on the…

This paper presents the development and initial validation of new measures of critical thinking and noncognitive attributes that were designed to supplement existing standardized tests used in the admissions system for higher education in Chile. The importance of various facets of this process, including the establishment of technical rigor and…

The absence of empirical research on strategies for addressing multicultural resistance is due, in part, to the lack of available measures of the construct. The purpose of this study was to redefine multicultural resistance by utilizing Brehm's theory of psychological reactance (Brehm, 1966; Brehm & Brehm, 1981) to develop a reliable and valid…

According to Bass' (1990) summary of fifty years of research and nearly thirty dichotomy-based theories, leaders influence people through autocratic use of power (task-oriented) or through democratic use of power (people-oriented). Each style produces unique tensions and tradeoffs, but versatile leaders can incorporate strategies from both sides…

In 2011, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) commissioned a Consortium led by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and including the University of Melbourne's Centre for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE) and the Griffith Institute for Higher Education (GIHE) to develop an instrument and…

Committed teachers and administrators often look for strategies and practices to better support students struggling to negotiate the academic, social, and behavioral demands of the classroom setting. Such practices may include modifications to how they deliver instruction or manage behavior for their entire class. Other strategies may include more…

At the heart of most assessments lies a set of questions, and those who write them must achieve "two" things. Not only must they ensure that each question elicits the kind of performance that shows how "good" pupils are at the subject, but they must also ensure that each mark scheme gives more marks to those who are…