THE EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE AND MONITORING – Project topics materials

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INTRODUCTION

At the heart of all science is the need to know the subject matter, to truly understand the object of study deeply, constructively and practically. The subject matter of social sciences focuses on humans, who are adaptable and embedded in qualitative experiences that create challenges to objective measurement. In social sciences, measurements are often made of subjects and constructs, which are latent, hidden from view, but inferable from observations or proxy variables (Andrich, 2001; Massof, 2011). The measurement of any phenomenon is the defining of previously unknown quantities in ways that are accessible (Andrich, 2001; Bond & Fox, 2015; Cavanagh & Waugh, 2011; Boone, Staver & Yale, 2014). Theory and observation are required to access latent traits to make the trait manifest for measurement (Bond & Fox, 2015). The operationalisation of social constructs, such as learning, memory, feelings, knowledge, skills and beliefs is the key to making measurement possible (Loubsera, Casteleijn & Bruce, 2015). Practically defining a construct makes it possible to create the ruler with which to measure.

The main monitoring project

Rasch Measurement is the embodiment of measurement standards; it is the statistical models that represent the requirements of measurement, and assess the degree to which an instrument attains the requirements of true measurement (Boone et al., 2014; Bond & Fox, 2015; Wilson, 2005). By applying Rasch models to assess construct validity, the social sciences are in a position to be able to measure in the same scientifically rigorous ways as is found in the natural sciences.

Ethical clearance

Ethical clearance was obtained from the Faculty of Education for the study (see Appendix B). The study was conducted according to ethical guidelines as set out by the University. As the articles included in this thesis utilised secondary data from the project, the funding agency consented to the use of the data sets for further research and scientific publications (see Appendix C). Use of data emanating from the assessments for research purposes required learner and parental permission (see Appendix D).

Research questions

The development of instruments that yield reliable and valid inferences, identifying cut scores, dealing with missing data as well tracking individuals across years to explore the impact of interventions, are vital issues in psychology as well as education. The project described in Section 1.1 deals with several measurement challenges which formed the basis for the overarching research question as well as the sub-questions addressed in each article. The main research question of this thesis is: How does the application of Rasch models address measurement problems in the processing, analysis and reporting of educational monitoring results?

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ABSTRACT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION
1.1 The main monitoring project
1.2 Definition of key terms
1.3 Structure of thesis
1.4 Conclusion: The article-based thesis as a story
CHAPTER 2 – THE EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE AND MONITORING
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Education in South Africa
2.3 Assessment in the South African context
2.4 Academic achievement, assessment and monitoring
2.5 Conclusions
CHAPTER 3 – METHODOLOGICAL AND THEORETICAL APPROACHES
3.1 Introduction: Ontological point of departure
3.2 The principles of measurement
3.3 The Rasch model
3.4 Measurement in a South African context
3.5 Conceptual framework
3.6 Conclusion
CHAPTER 4 – THE MONITORING PROJECT’S METHODOLOGY
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Study population and sampling
4.3 Instruments – design and refinement
4.4 Assessment administration
4.5 Scoring, capturing and cleaning of data
4.6 Instrument reliability and validity
4.7 Methods of data analysis
4.8 Ethics
4.9 Conclusion
CHAPTER 5 – MULTIPLE IMPUTATION FOR DICHOTOMOUS MNAR ITEMS USING A RECURSIVE STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL WITH RASCH MEASURES AS PREDICTORS
5.1 Abstract
5.2 Introduction
5.3 Current Study
5.4 Method
5.5 Results
5.6 Discussion
5.7 Conclusion
CHAPTER 6 – EVALUATING ANCHOR ITEMS AND REFRAMING ASSESSMENT RESULTS THROUGH A PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE RASCH MEASUREMENT MODEL
6.1 Abstract
6.2 Introduction
6.3 Method
6.4 Data analysis
6.5 Results
6.6 Discussion
6.7 Conclusion
CHAPTER 7 – THE USE OF RASCH COMPETENCY BANDS FOR REPORTING CRITERION REFERENCED FEEDBACK AND CURRICULUM-STANDARDS ATTAINMENT
7.1 Abstract
7.2 Context
7.3 Methods
7.4 Data analysis
7.5 Results and discussion
7.6 Implications for practice
7.7 Future research
CHAPTER 8 – DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Summary of methodology
8.3 Summary of results for research questions
8.4 Reflection on methodology
8.5 Reflection on conceptual framework
8.6 Limitations of the study
8.7 Recommendations
8.8 Conclusion
9. REFERENCES