scholarly journals Differential Item Functioning: Item Level Analysis of TIMSS Mathematics Test Items Using Australian and Indonesian Database

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 127
Author(s):  
Fitriati .
Keyword(s):  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Mathematics Test ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
Item Level ◽  
Level Analysis ◽  
Differential Item Functioning Item

scholarly journals The Applicability of Item Response Theory Based Statistics to Detect Differential Item Functioning in Polytomous Tests

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Abdul Wahab Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
Logistic Discriminant Function ◽  
High Degree

The study used statistical procedures based on Item Response Theory to detect Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in polytomous tests. These were with a view to improving the quality of test items construction. The sample consisted of an intact class of 513 Part 3 undergraduate students who registered for the course EDU 304: Tests and Measurement at Sule Lamido University during 2017/2018 Second Semester. A self-developed polytomous research instrument was used to collect data. Data collected were analysed using Generalized Mantel Haenszel, Simultaneous Item Bias Test, and Logistic Discriminant Function Analysis. The results showed that there was no significant relationship between the proportions of test items that function differentially in the polytomous test when the different statistical methods are used.  Further, the three parametric and non-parametric methods complement each other in their ability to detect DIF in the polytomous test format as all of them have capacity to detect DIF but perform differently. The study concluded that there was a high degree of correspondence between the three procedures in their ability to detect DIF in polytomous tests. It was recommended that test experts and developers should consider using procedure based on Item Response Theory in DIF detection.

scholarly journals Regression Discontinuity and Differential Item Functioning

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Marc Goodrich ◽  
Natalie Koziol ◽  
HyeonJin Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Selection Bias ◽  
English Language ◽  
Regression Discontinuity ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Item Bias ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Mathematics Ability ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Item Functioning

When measuring academic skills among students whose primary language is not English, standardized assessments are often provided in languages other than English (Tabaku, Carbuccia-Abbott, & Saavedra, 2018). The degree to which alternate-language test items function equivalently must be evaluated, but traditional methods of investigating measurement equivalence may be confounded by group differences on characteristics other than ability level and language form. The primary purposes of this study were to investigate differential item functioning (DIF) and item bias across Spanish and English forms of an assessment of early mathematics skills. Secondary purposes were to investigate the presence of selection bias and demonstrate a novel approach for investigating DIF that uses a regression discontinuity design framework to control for selection bias. Data were drawn from 1,750 Spanish-speaking Kindergarteners participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99, who were administered either the Spanish or English version of the mathematics assessment based on their performance on an English language screening measure. Results indicated a minority of items functioned differently across the Spanish and English forms, and subsequent item content scrutiny indicated no plausible evidence of item bias. Evidence of selection bias—differences between groups in SES, age, and country of birth, in addition to mathematics ability and form language—highlighted limitations of a traditional approach for investigating DIF that only controlled for ability. Fewer items exhibited DIF when controlling for selection bias (11% vs. 25%), and the type and direction of DIF differed upon controlling for selection bias.

scholarly journals Vilka typer av uppgifter gynnar elever som följer kursplanen i svenska som andraspråk? En undersökning med data från de nationella proven i geografi.

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Andreas Alm Fjellborg ◽  
Lena Molin
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Background Factors ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
Using Data ◽  
National Tests

Elever med utländsk bakgrund tenderar att prestera sämre än svenskfödda elever i skolan primärt på grund av sämre kunskaper i det svenska språket. Utifrån statistisk analys (Differential item functioning) identifieras uppgifter från de nationella proven i geografi (2014 – 2017) där elever som följer kursplanen i svenska som andraspråk klarar sig avsevärt mycket bättre - eller sämre - än förväntat. Tidigare forskning har visat att geografiska begrepp är särskilt svåra för elever som inte har svenska som modersmål, vilket också  påvisas i denna studie. Den visar att det särskilt är uppgifter med lite text som handlar om geografiska begrepp som uppvisar större skillnader i prestationer mellan elever som följer kursplanen i svenska respektive svenska som andraspråk. Resultaten kan stödja såväl lärare som provkonstruktörer att bättre anpassa undervisning och prov genom att undvika att skapa uppgifter som mäter irrelevanta bakgrundsfaktorer som påverkar elevernas möjligheter att besvara uppgifter på ett adekvat vis utifrån deras kunskapsnivåer.Nyckelord: Nationella prov i geografi, uppgiftsformat, elever med utländsk bakgrund, svenskfödda elever, DIF-analysWhat types of test items benefit students who follow the syllabus in Swedish as a second language? A study using data from the Swedish national assessments in geography.AbstractPupils born outside Sweden are likely to accomplish less in comparison to native pupils, primarily as a result of inferior knowledge of the Swedish language. Based on a statistical analysis (Differential item functioning) of questions given at national tests in geography (2014-2017), it was possible to identify questions where pupils following the syllabus of Swedish as a second language attain either considerably better or more inferior results than expected. Earlier research has shown that pupils whose native language is not Swedish find it particularly hard to comprehend geographic concepts, which was confirmed by the present study. This study furthermore revealed that in particular questions containing a limited amount of text concerning geographic concepts resulted in larger differences than expected between native pupils following the syllabus in Swedish and foreign born pupils following the syllabus in Swedish as a second language. These findings could aid teachers and test constructors in their efforts to adjust teaching and tests by not formulating questions that measure irrelevant background factors, which might affect the pupils’ ability to answer questions adequately, based on their level of knowledge.Keywords: National tests in geography, question format, pupils born outside Sweden, Swedish-born pupils, DIF-analysis

Onderzoek Naar Oorzaken van 'Differential Item Functioning' in de Eindtoets Basisonderwijs

2005 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 135-145
Author(s):  
Tamara van Schilt-Mol ◽  
Ton Vallen ◽  
Henny Uiterwijk
Keyword(s):  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Minority Students ◽  
Primary Education ◽  
Past Tense ◽  
Final Test ◽  
Dominant Language ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Statistical Procedures ◽  
Onderzoek Naar ◽  
Item Functioning

Previous research has shown that the Dutch 'Final Test of Primary Education' contains a number of unintentionally and therefore unwanted, difficult test items, leading to Differential Item Functioning (DIF) for immigrant minority students whose parents' dominant language is Turkish or Arab/Berber. Two statistical procedures were used to identify DIF-items in the Final Test of 1997. Subsequently, five experiments were conducted to detect causes of DIF, revealing a number of hypotheses concerning possible linguistic, cultural, and textual sources. These hypotheses were used to manipulate original DIF-items into intentionally DIF-free items. The article discusses three possible sources of DIF: (1) the use of fixed (misleading) answer-options and (2) of misleading illustrations (both in the disadvantage of the minority students), and (3) the fact that questions concerning past tense often lead to DIF (in their advantage).

Detection of Sex Differential Item Functioning in the Cornell Critical Thinking Test

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian F. French ◽  
Brian Hand ◽  
William J. Therrien ◽  
Juan Antonio Valdivia Vazquez
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
Measurement Properties ◽  
Critical Component ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
Item Level ◽  
Conscious Process ◽  
Mean Differences

Critical thinking (CT) can be described as the conscious process a person does to explore a situation or a problem from different perspectives. Accurate measurement of CT skills, especially across subgroups, depends in part on the measurement properties of an instrument being invariant or similar across those groups. The assessment of item-level invariance is a critical component of building a validity argument to ensure that scores on the Cornell Critical Thinking Test (CCTT) have similar meanings across groups. We used logistic regression to examine differential item functioning by sex in the CCTT-Form X. Results suggest that the items function similarly across boys and girls with only 5.6% (4) of items displaying DIF. This implies that any mean differences observed are not a function of a lack of measurement invariance and supports the validity of the inferences drawn when comparing boys and girls on scores on the CCTT.

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