PEM Pre-Conference Workshop at NCME

With no small amount of pride, I would like to point loyal blog readers to the NCME Pre-Conference Workshops where our very own Dr. Ye Tong will be conducting a workshop on Vertical Scaling. Dr. Tong will be supporting her major advisor Dr. Michael Kolen and the venue will be sure to tell you more about vertical scaling than you had ever hoped for! Just check out the abstract taken from the NCME online program:

Vertical Scaling

Presenters: Michael Kolen, University of Iowa; Ye Tong, Pearson Educational Measurement

The potential need for constructing a vertical scale arises whenever a testing program has multiple grade levels and wishes to have a common scale to compare test scores across these grade levels. Vertical scaling uses statistical process to place test scores that measure similar content domain but at different educational levels onto a common scale. The goals of the session are for attendees to be able to understand the principles of vertical scaling, to conduct vertical scaling and to interpret the results of vertical scaling in reasonable ways. Vertical scaling will be contrasted with related equating and linking processes. Traditional and IRT vertical linking methodologies will be described and practical issues will be discussed. The focus is on developing a conceptual understanding of vertical scaling through numerical examples and discussion of practical issues. Importance and challenges related to vertical scaling will be included. The text for the session is a chapter in Kolen and Brennan’s (2004) “Test Equating, Scaling, and Linking. Methods and Practices (Second Edition).”

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Pearson Leads The Way

A key strategic objective of Pearson is to promote measurement best practices through research. The annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) is one venue in this regard. I am happy to report that, once again, Pearson is providing several relevant paper presentations at the conference.

This year, the conference will be held in the "windy city" Chicago, April 9-April 13. Here are some of our accepted topics to be presented. (Check the official online program for dates, times, and locations.)

NCME 2007

Training session: Vertical Scaling Methodology, Application and Research
- Tong, Ye

Understanding Correlates of Rapid-Guessing Behavior in Low-Stakes Testing: Implications for Test Development and Measurement Practice
- Xiaojing (Jadie) Kong

Estimating Classification Consistency for Complex Assessments
- Wan, Lei

Imputation Methods for Handling Null Categories in Polytomous Items
- Keng, Leslie & Turhan, Ahmet

An Investigation of the Accuracy of the Estimates of Standard Errors for the Kernel Equating Functions
- Mao, Xia

Some Issues in Computing Conditional Standard Errors of Measurement for State Testing Programs
- Thompson, Tony

Effects of Anchor Item Properties and Dimensionality of Test on Vertical Scaling
- Turhan, Ahment; Tong, Ye & Um, Kay

Individual Growth and School Performance Indices
- Li, Dongmei & Shin, David

Priors in Vertical Scaling
- Tong, Ye

AERA 2007

Models of Raters' Cognition During Essay Scoring: Theory and Framework
-Nichols, Paul

Investigating the Effects of Training and Rater Variables on Reliability Measures: A Comparison of Standup Local Scoring, Online Distributed Scoring, and Online Local Scoring
-Kreimen, Cindi

Effects of Scoring Environment on Rater Reliability, Score Validity and Generalizability: A Comparison of Standup Local Scoring, Online Distributed Scoring and Online Local Scoring
-Kanada, Mayuko

Cognitive Task Analysis of Raters’ Evaluation Strategies for Scoring Constructed Response Items
-Harms, Mike

Establishing Measurement Equivalence of Transadapted Reading and Mathematics Tests
-Davies, Scott, O'Malley, Kimberly & Wu, Brad

Reliability estimates in an alternative scoring procedure of constructed-response items in large scale standardized tests
-Kanada, Mayuko & Nichols, Paul

An Investigation of College Performance of Advanced Placement (AP) and Non-AP Student Groups
-Keng, Leslie

Comparisons of the Kernel Equating Method with the Traditional Equating Methods in Random Groups Design-A Simulation Study
-Mao, Xia

Using Collateral Information to Improve the Estimating of NAEP Subscale Score
-Shin, David

An Exploration of Methods for Evaluation of Individual and School Progress at the Subscale Level
-Shin, David, & Li, Dongmei

Evaluation of calibration/linking approaches to mixed format writing assessments
-Um, Kay; Kim, Dong-In & Turhan, Ahmet