Simulated Evidence of Computer Adaptive Test Length: Implications for High Stakes Assessment in Nigeria
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Date
2021-05-14
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
North American Business Press
Abstract
Like other African countries, high-stake testing in Nigeria has suffered significant setbacks due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Computerised Adaptive Tests (CAT) is a paradigm shift in the educational assessment that ensures accuracy in ability placements. A survey design was employed to describe the psychometric characteristics of a simulated 3-parameter logistic IRT model designs to support off-site assessments. This simulation protocol involved generating examinee and item pool data, specifying the item selection algorithm and specifying CAT administration rules for execution with SimulCAT. Findings revealed that the fixed-length test guarantees a higher testing precision with an observed systematic error less than zero, a CMAE ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 and RMSE being consistent around 0.2. Findings also revealed that the fixed-length test had a higher item exposure rate which can be handled by falling back on the item selection methods that rely less on the a-parameter. Also, item redundancy was lesser for the fixed-length test compared to the variable-length test. Conclusions are for the fixed-length test option for high-stakes assessment in Nigeria.
Description
Main article
Keywords
higher education, CAT, IRT, 3PL models, test length, measurement precision, item exposure, simulation
Citation
Ogunjimi , M. O. ., Ayanwale , M. A. ., Oladele, J. I. ., Daramola, D. S. ., Jimoh , I. M. ., & Owolabi, H. O. . (2021). Simulated Evidence of Computer Adaptive Test Length: Implications for High Stakes Assessment in Nigeria. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 21(2).