<p>Lecture, two hours; discussion, two hours. Enforced requisite: course 35 with a grade of C or better. Introduction to the art and science of measuring important constructs like student knowledge, attitude, and motivation in education contexts. Application of the three foundational concepts of reliability, validity, and fairness to critically interpret and evaluate tests and test scores, and examination of how they are used in education settings. Critical overview of the history of mental testing, traditional and modern uses of tests and assessments in K-16 education around the world, and broader perspectives on what is measured and why. Quantitative background is not required. Students learn to test the tests by applying basic statistical concepts and methods using the software package R. Letter grading.</p>

Education

School of Education and Information Studies

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EDUC 151 - Quantitative Methods in Education: Principles of Measurement and Testing   

Quantitative Methods in Education: Principles of Measurement and Testing   

Understand the concept and importance of test reliability and compare and utilize different types of reliability coefficients

Critically review, analyze, and evaluate the qualities of test items and sources of item bias

Express measurement error in test scores with the standard error of measurement and confidence intervals

Recognize controversial issues in educational testing

Know the process of measurement and the sources of measurement error and bias

Explain when and for what purposes and what types of tests are used in educational settings and why they are important

Use the statistical software R to describe the characteristics of test scores, convert raw test scores into meaningful units, quantify association between two variables, e.g., test scores and SES, and be comfortable with using R Studio, R Markdown, and R packages.

Understand and investigate fairness and social justice issues in the testing process and test score interpretation

Recognize the significance and social/ethical issues of test validation and evaluate different sources of validity evidence in a unified framework

Understand social justice issues in assessing special populations, including individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds

General Catalog

Quantitative Methods in Education: Principles of Measurement and Testing

EDUC 151

5 units