States havemoved rapidly over the past 20 years to institute systems of standards and assessments... more States havemoved rapidly over the past 20 years to institute systems of standards and assessments. State assessments in particular take on added importance at the high school level as they are required for graduation by an increasing number of states. Federal legislation mandating testing in high school also serves to increase the stakes and impact of state exams. Many states are also using high school exams for postsecondary purposes, although the content and criterion validity of these exams in relation to students’ post–high school pursuits is not well documented. Though no state exam was developed with the express intent of aligning specifically with postsecondary education, it is nonetheless important to understand this linkage given the wide-ranging use of high school exams across the country.
This study analyzed the content of state tests relative to a set of standards that identify knowledge and skills necessary for success in entry-level university courses. A total of 60 math and English assessments from 20 states were analyzed along a number of alignment dimensions. Exams were found to be moderately aligned with a subset of the university standards, but in an uneven fashion. English exams were somewhat more aligned than math exams, but math exams had high alignment in some specific standard areas, and English exams aligned poorly or not at all in areas requiring higher order thinking.
In the future, states using high school exams for postsecondary purposes may want to examine the content of state standards and exams to determine their relationship to college-readiness criteria.
Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 2017
This study extends current research by organizing information about students’ expectancy-value ac... more This study extends current research by organizing information about students’ expectancy-value achievement motivation in a way that helps parents and teachers identify specific entry points to encourage and support students’ science aspirations. This study uses latent class analysis to describe underlying differences in ability beliefs and task values and links these science-self-perceptions to interest in science. Findings suggest that there is a positive relationship between students’ science self-perceptions and interest in science which is consistent with previous research (see for example, Author, 2014). The relationship between self-perceptions and interest in science was similar regardless of gender or ethnicity. Despite study limitations, self-perceptions should be considered valuable because teachers have influence on both learning activities and students’ sense of self as a science learner. These results underscore the importance of preparing teachers to foster student des...
This study investigated using latent class analysis to set performance standards for assessments ... more This study investigated using latent class analysis to set performance standards for assessments comprised of multiple-choice and performance assessment items. Employing this procedure, it is possible to use a sample of student responses to accomplish four goals: (a) determine how well a specified latent structure fits student performance data; (b) determine which latent structure best represents the relationships in the data; (c) obtain estimates of item parameters for each latent class; and (d) identify to which class within that latent structure each response pattern most likely belongs. Comparisons with the Angoff and profile rating methods revealed that the approaches agreed with each other quite well, indicating that both empirical and test-based judgmental approaches may be used for setting performance standards for student achievement.
Federal pressure on states and districts to hold public schools accountable for student performan... more Federal pressure on states and districts to hold public schools accountable for student performance is not new. A system of standards, assessments, and accountability were central to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act under the Clinton Administration (1992-2000). However, in 2001, Congress added some teeth to the system when it enacted the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB forces states to refine their accountability systems to include tracking student performance by certain grades, in certain disciplines, and by student subgroups. The federal law also requires state accountability systems to include targets for progress to ensure that all schools and districts make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), based on assessments included in the statewide accountability system. NCLB also added consequences for poor performance, if a school fails to achieve AYP in two consecutive years, it is placed in “improvement status” (Debray, McDermott, & Wohlstetter, 2005) and faces potential restructuring, closure and reconstitution.
Reactions to chemical exposures often include fears of future illness, cancerphobia, reports of m... more Reactions to chemical exposures often include fears of future illness, cancerphobia, reports of multiple chemical sensitivity, and other ill-defined complaints. Frequently, these complaints occur at levels of exposure not known to cause physiological harm. Although frequently dismissed as hysterical or hypochondriacal reactions, these complaints, along with other indefinite symptoms, may be better understood in terms of biases in perception and reporting. In this paper, we outline various sources of perceptual and response biases including prior beliefs, the media, influential others, reconstructed personal histories, self-perceptions, and the forensic environment. It is recommended that a thorough understanding of symptom-reporting and psychological distress following a chemical exposure involves consideration of these issues.
This study reports base rate data for 113 family practice patients with no history of head trauma... more This study reports base rate data for 113 family practice patients with no history of head trauma or toxic exposure, 68 family practice patients with a history of head trauma or toxic exposure, and 156 personal injury claimants with no history of toxic exposure or head trauma who presented for a psychological evaluation due to emotional distress. Personal injury claimants reported suffering from significantly more neurotoxic and neuropsychologic symptoms than subjects with a reported history of head trauma and/or toxic exposure. The authors urge that evaluating psychologists consider the base rate of these symptoms in litigating populations and use caution in relying on self-reported symptoms as evidence of injury when patients are in litigation.
Test results from 90 personal injury claimants were used to explore the relationship between pers... more Test results from 90 personal injury claimants were used to explore the relationship between personality disorders (Dependent, Histrionic, Compulsive, Schizoid, Schizotypal, Paranoid, Narcissistic, Borderline, Antisocial, Avoidant, and Passive-Aggressive) as assessed by the MCMI-II and response style measured by MMPI-2 validity scales (F, K, L, F-K, O-S, Es, and FBS). With the exception of the Dependent and Narcissistic scales, all personality disorder scales were found to have a significant relationship with validity indicators in the direction of faking bad. These results suggest that the presence of characterological factors (i.e., a personality disorder), rather than malingering, contributes to exaggerated results in a forensic setting. Implications for future research are addressed.
... Richard S. Brown a & Julio C. Villarreal b pages 1-25. ... It has been argued that misfit... more ... Richard S. Brown a & Julio C. Villarreal b pages 1-25. ... It has been argued that misfit can occur for a number of reasons, including carelessness, reduced motivation, conscientiousness, gender, ethnic differences (Schmitt, Chan, Sacco, McFarland, & Jennings, 199912. ...
States havemoved rapidly over the past 20 years to institute systems of standards and assessments... more States havemoved rapidly over the past 20 years to institute systems of standards and assessments. State assessments in particular take on added importance at the high school level as they are required for graduation by an increasing number of states. Federal legislation mandating testing in high school also serves to increase the stakes and impact of state exams. Many states are also using high school exams for postsecondary purposes, although the content and criterion validity of these exams in relation to students’ post–high school pursuits is not well documented. Though no state exam was developed with the express intent of aligning specifically with postsecondary education, it is nonetheless important to understand this linkage given the wide-ranging use of high school exams across the country.
This study analyzed the content of state tests relative to a set of standards that identify knowledge and skills necessary for success in entry-level university courses. A total of 60 math and English assessments from 20 states were analyzed along a number of alignment dimensions. Exams were found to be moderately aligned with a subset of the university standards, but in an uneven fashion. English exams were somewhat more aligned than math exams, but math exams had high alignment in some specific standard areas, and English exams aligned poorly or not at all in areas requiring higher order thinking.
In the future, states using high school exams for postsecondary purposes may want to examine the content of state standards and exams to determine their relationship to college-readiness criteria.
Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 2017
This study extends current research by organizing information about students’ expectancy-value ac... more This study extends current research by organizing information about students’ expectancy-value achievement motivation in a way that helps parents and teachers identify specific entry points to encourage and support students’ science aspirations. This study uses latent class analysis to describe underlying differences in ability beliefs and task values and links these science-self-perceptions to interest in science. Findings suggest that there is a positive relationship between students’ science self-perceptions and interest in science which is consistent with previous research (see for example, Author, 2014). The relationship between self-perceptions and interest in science was similar regardless of gender or ethnicity. Despite study limitations, self-perceptions should be considered valuable because teachers have influence on both learning activities and students’ sense of self as a science learner. These results underscore the importance of preparing teachers to foster student des...
This study investigated using latent class analysis to set performance standards for assessments ... more This study investigated using latent class analysis to set performance standards for assessments comprised of multiple-choice and performance assessment items. Employing this procedure, it is possible to use a sample of student responses to accomplish four goals: (a) determine how well a specified latent structure fits student performance data; (b) determine which latent structure best represents the relationships in the data; (c) obtain estimates of item parameters for each latent class; and (d) identify to which class within that latent structure each response pattern most likely belongs. Comparisons with the Angoff and profile rating methods revealed that the approaches agreed with each other quite well, indicating that both empirical and test-based judgmental approaches may be used for setting performance standards for student achievement.
Federal pressure on states and districts to hold public schools accountable for student performan... more Federal pressure on states and districts to hold public schools accountable for student performance is not new. A system of standards, assessments, and accountability were central to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act under the Clinton Administration (1992-2000). However, in 2001, Congress added some teeth to the system when it enacted the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB forces states to refine their accountability systems to include tracking student performance by certain grades, in certain disciplines, and by student subgroups. The federal law also requires state accountability systems to include targets for progress to ensure that all schools and districts make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), based on assessments included in the statewide accountability system. NCLB also added consequences for poor performance, if a school fails to achieve AYP in two consecutive years, it is placed in “improvement status” (Debray, McDermott, & Wohlstetter, 2005) and faces potential restructuring, closure and reconstitution.
Reactions to chemical exposures often include fears of future illness, cancerphobia, reports of m... more Reactions to chemical exposures often include fears of future illness, cancerphobia, reports of multiple chemical sensitivity, and other ill-defined complaints. Frequently, these complaints occur at levels of exposure not known to cause physiological harm. Although frequently dismissed as hysterical or hypochondriacal reactions, these complaints, along with other indefinite symptoms, may be better understood in terms of biases in perception and reporting. In this paper, we outline various sources of perceptual and response biases including prior beliefs, the media, influential others, reconstructed personal histories, self-perceptions, and the forensic environment. It is recommended that a thorough understanding of symptom-reporting and psychological distress following a chemical exposure involves consideration of these issues.
This study reports base rate data for 113 family practice patients with no history of head trauma... more This study reports base rate data for 113 family practice patients with no history of head trauma or toxic exposure, 68 family practice patients with a history of head trauma or toxic exposure, and 156 personal injury claimants with no history of toxic exposure or head trauma who presented for a psychological evaluation due to emotional distress. Personal injury claimants reported suffering from significantly more neurotoxic and neuropsychologic symptoms than subjects with a reported history of head trauma and/or toxic exposure. The authors urge that evaluating psychologists consider the base rate of these symptoms in litigating populations and use caution in relying on self-reported symptoms as evidence of injury when patients are in litigation.
Test results from 90 personal injury claimants were used to explore the relationship between pers... more Test results from 90 personal injury claimants were used to explore the relationship between personality disorders (Dependent, Histrionic, Compulsive, Schizoid, Schizotypal, Paranoid, Narcissistic, Borderline, Antisocial, Avoidant, and Passive-Aggressive) as assessed by the MCMI-II and response style measured by MMPI-2 validity scales (F, K, L, F-K, O-S, Es, and FBS). With the exception of the Dependent and Narcissistic scales, all personality disorder scales were found to have a significant relationship with validity indicators in the direction of faking bad. These results suggest that the presence of characterological factors (i.e., a personality disorder), rather than malingering, contributes to exaggerated results in a forensic setting. Implications for future research are addressed.
... Richard S. Brown a & Julio C. Villarreal b pages 1-25. ... It has been argued that misfit... more ... Richard S. Brown a & Julio C. Villarreal b pages 1-25. ... It has been argued that misfit can occur for a number of reasons, including carelessness, reduced motivation, conscientiousness, gender, ethnic differences (Schmitt, Chan, Sacco, McFarland, & Jennings, 199912. ...
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postsecondary education, it is nonetheless important to understand this linkage given the wide-ranging use of high school exams across the country.
This study analyzed the content of state tests relative to a set of standards that identify knowledge and skills necessary for success in entry-level university courses. A total of 60 math and
English assessments from 20 states were analyzed along a number of alignment dimensions. Exams were found to be moderately aligned with a subset of the university
standards, but in an uneven fashion. English exams were somewhat more aligned than math exams, but math exams had high alignment in some specific standard areas, and English exams aligned poorly or not at all in areas requiring higher order
thinking.
In the future, states using high school exams for postsecondary purposes may want to examine the content of state standards and exams to determine their relationship to college-readiness criteria.
Papers
postsecondary education, it is nonetheless important to understand this linkage given the wide-ranging use of high school exams across the country.
This study analyzed the content of state tests relative to a set of standards that identify knowledge and skills necessary for success in entry-level university courses. A total of 60 math and
English assessments from 20 states were analyzed along a number of alignment dimensions. Exams were found to be moderately aligned with a subset of the university
standards, but in an uneven fashion. English exams were somewhat more aligned than math exams, but math exams had high alignment in some specific standard areas, and English exams aligned poorly or not at all in areas requiring higher order
thinking.
In the future, states using high school exams for postsecondary purposes may want to examine the content of state standards and exams to determine their relationship to college-readiness criteria.