Lecture 1EPSY 625

MEASUREMENT THEORY TIMELINE

2000BCE 400BCE 800AD 1800AD 1900AD 2000AD

Chinese Greek European Stat- Measure-

Exams system univ. exam istics meant

1000 BC Chinese civil service exam

Democratic in principle: anyone could sit for the exam

limitation: opportunity to learn; access to schooling low for peasants

many modern issues:• reliability: test-retest, interrater agreement

• validity: content, face, predictive

• test formats: written vs. oral

GREEK-ROMAN EDUCATION SYSTEMS

Greek emphasis on oral examination Roman emulation of Greek systems (used

Greek slaves as teachers for private tutoring)• Use of papyrus for written work

Carryover to European university systems created about 800 AD- 1800• Oral examinations for degrees- paper was very

expensive Arabic university systems somewhat like

European systems in 1000-1500AD

1800 Error of Measurement - astronomy & gambling

Discovery of Normal distribution • scoring agreement among astronomers;

disagreements as poor work vs. individual differences

• gambling with dice or cards: statistics and probability were invented- gambling noblemen wanted an edge

1850 Wundt's lab - physiological measurement

Measurement of human performance and perception

jnd: just noticeable difference in perception

WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS 1850

Cheap paper and lead pencil invented in 1840s

Written essay advocated by American educators such as Horace Mann

Reduction in emphasis on oral presentation, recitation

Essay examination becomes important

1880 Galton's anthropometry human physical measurement

Measurement of human physiognomy notion of relationships among variables:

• correlation and causation:• ratio scaling led to Pearson’s correlation

• nominal scaling led to chi square association

1890 reaction time, "mental test"

J.M. Cattell - child intelligence Binet - Simon - “ : individual testing

• developmental perspective

• deviation at an age compared to cross-age development

factor analysis - Spearman; concept of construct underlying observed measurement

1905 educational psychology - Thorndike

learning and assessment First educational psychology text- 1906 1914 text topics:

• The Original Nature of Man

• The Psychology of Learning

• Individual Differences and Their Causes• sex and race

• ancestry (genetics) or family etc.

1920s Group testing

IQ testing from WW I• need to classify men efficiently for military

duties

• need to assess large numbers: group testing

attitude assessment - Thurstone - Chave

Fisher ANOVA (beginning of experimental design)

1930s Theory development

Thurstone and Likert: assessment of affect, methodology

KR-20, Rulon, etc. internal consistency Spearman-Brown: prediction of test

characteristics

1940s More theory

Hoyt’s reliability using ANOVA Guttman scaling of attitude Decision theory and WWII

1950s

Computer-based analysis Cronbach’s alpha- pulling theory

together construct validity - Cronbach, Meehl multitrait-multimethod validity -

MacCorquodale

1960s Computers and statistics

latent trait theory- Rasch formalized true score theory - Lord &

Novick covariance structure analysis - Jorekog multidimensional scaling - Torgeson latent partition analysis - Wiley

1970s

generalizability theory- Cronbach criterion-referenced testing (CRT) bias in testing theory, differential item

function (DIF) 2- and 3- parameter latent trait models -

Lord statewide assessments: “minimum

competency”

1980s multitrait linear logistic model - Embretson

Multitrait linear logistic model- Embretson

Item-individual interaction:cognitive function

task demanditem function

(Mislevy, Willson) Development of testing standards

1990s Web-based assessment

Automated response: web testing, computer adaptive testing

AI systems widespread use of measurement model

in quantitative theory (Structural equation modeling)

accountability systems based on testing

2000s HIGH STAKES TESTING AND RESEARCH

No Child Left Behind Multilevel modeling (HLM) Federal testing requirements for US

States Great demands on testing industry to

develop many tests