Creating A Multiple Measures Placement System

An ExerciseWith

Ron Gordon & Armand Brunhoeber

The Concept

• Although test scores may predict failure, they do not necessarily predict success.

• Research shows that students’ backgrounds, environments, and personal habits may have more influence on their potential academic success than their residual academic skills.

• Find a way to factor that information into the placement decision at testing time.

Decision Process

• Involve Faculty• Select Questions

– How many– What variety

• Select Weight Values– Use negative weights?– How much possible total weight

Select Questions

• Use enough questions that any one does not have undue influence

• Must be manageable– Each weighted answer choice requires an

additional line in the placement rule– Weights must be repeated in each rule segment

• Questions must, in some way, relate to student success.

Limits

• Limit total weight so that background information does not allow students to skip a course level

• Limit number of questions to a manageable number– More questions adds to testing time– Placement rules can become unmanageable

• Answer choices must be mutually exclusive and all inclusive

Example

• (If Arithmetic, plus all weighted choices is >= 75 OR

Algebra, plus all weighted choices is >= 48)AND(Algebra, plus all weighted choices is < 65 OR

Algebra Not Taken) AND(CLM, plus all weighted choices is <62 ORCLM Not Taken) Then Placement is Elementary Algebra

Example, Continued

• If this rule had 5 questions with 4 weighted answer choices each, there would be 80 lines just for weights.

• With too many questions, or too many choices per question, rules can become unmanageable

Conditional Weights

• High school accomplishments have limited shelf life

• How much does it matter that a 25-year-old student had 2 years of high school algebra?

• Does it matter that the same 25-year-old student works for a surveyor and uses algebra daily?

Conditional Weights

• Young students have not had time to build skill usage experience, but their high school accomplishments are relevant

• What older students accomplished in high school is less relevant than what they do now.

Example

• How long has it been since you were enrolled in high school or other formal educational process?– Less than 2 years or still enrolled– 2 to 5 years– More than 5 but less than 7 years– 7 years or more

• Use high school data for up to 5 years, experience for more than 5 years.

Assigning Weights

• Total possible weight should not move student more than one level in either direction

• Set maximum possible weight so a student who scores near or above the midpoint of a placement range could move up, but one who scores below the midpoint could not.

• Use faculty to select BGQ and assign weight• Guide them

Multiple Measures Influence on Placement

Range 60 To 71 To 81 To 93

Class Engl 110 Engl 105 Engl 51

Midpoint 65.5 76 87

Movement ? ? 8.4%

? ? 6.6%

? ? 6.9%

Multiple Measures Movement Model

Sample Question With Weights

• Which choice below best describes you when you read textbooks or other complex information?– I usually need to read material several times before I

understand it well -.01– Sometimes I can understand what I read the first time,

but often I must reread it .00– I usually understand what I read if I take notes or

highlight passages. +.01– I always understand what I read the first time through

+.02

Preparing to Build the System

• Assign numeric codes to course names• Determine which tests will be used for

each course in each discipline• Create cut score Table• Create a BGQ weight Matrix

Building the System

• Create Background questions• Assign BGQ to groups• Create branching profiles• Create course groups• Create courses and assign to groups List• Create majors if used • Create placement rules Edit1 Edit2

Verify

• Write most complex rule first• Run verify function in branching profile• Use several BGQ and score combinations

to test the placement rule• Compute weighted score for each run• Try to hit cut scores to test for bad weight

or answer choice selections

Common Errors

• Unequal weights between rules– E.G. A response has .01 weight in one rule and -.01

weight in the next rule• Misplaced Parentheses

– The multiple measures weights make the rule larger and more difficult to visualize

• Misuse of AND/OR• Misuse of arithmetic operators• Wrong answer choice in rule line

Troubleshooting

• From the score report, determine what the student’s weight should be from the BGQ responses

• Using the weight, compute the weighted score

• Determine what the placement should be• Examine the appropriate rule for errors

Computing the Weight 1

Question Response # Weight

High English A -.02

Grade English C 0

Goal Import. B .02

Understand Read D .03

Study Time A .01

Total Weight +.04

Computing the Weight 2

Question Response # Weight

High English A -.02

Grade English F -.02

Goal Import. A -.01

Understand Read D .03

Study Time C -.01

Total Weight -.03

Computation

• Score is multiplied by 1 plus the accumulated weight.– 85 * (1+.04) = 88.4– Placement will be based on a score of 88.

• Example 2– 85 * (1+ [-.03]) = 82.45– Placement will be based on a score of 82

Creating a Multiple Measures Placement System

An exercise withRon Gordon &

Armand BrunhoeberThank you for not throwing things at

the presenters