Comparing Performance Across Test Administration Modes in a Large-Scale Testing Environment

• Author / Creator

  Shostak,Deanna Lynn

• The purpose of this study was to complete a secondary analysis of the data collected for a Mathematics 30-2 field test to examine the comparability of the psychometric properties and the students’ scores for a computer-based and paper-and-pencil form of the same test. A computer familiarity survey was used to explain any possible differences between the two samples. A total of 252 students responded to the paper-and-pencil field test and 378 students responded to the computer-based field test. At the item level, only one item (numerical-response item 3) had a statistical difference in difficulty with a moderate effect size. At the test level, the effect sizes for the main effects and interactions that were significant (response mode-by-test mode preference, response mode, test mode preference) were all small. There were very few significant differences in the responses to the computer familiarity survey. Implications for practice and recommendations for research are provided.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Computer-based tests
  • Mode effects
  • Comparability studies
  • Equivalency

• Graduation date

  Spring 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3JQ0T367

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.