• The Mathematical Education
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.151-162
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• 2004

For the past several years, performance assessment has been widely used by mathematics teachers. The superiority of performance assessment items compare to multiple choice items has been discussed by many researchers, however these discussions tend to be lack of empirical data. Thus, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of tree response items in comparison with multiple choice items. Using the information function in Item Response Theory(IRT), item information of free response items and multiple choice items from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat(TIMSS-R) were obtained and compared. Test informations of the whole mathematics area as well as each content area of mathematics were computed. On average, tree response items yielded more information than multiple choice items, especially in measurement and data interpretation. This study also revealed that free response items estimated students' mathematics ability more accurately than multiple choice items with smaller number of items.

• Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.465-481
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• 2008

Item response theory(IRT) estimates latent ability of a subject based on the property of item and item parameters using item characteristics curve(ICC) of each item case. The initial value and another problems occurs when we try to estimate item parameters of IRT(e.g. the maximum likelihood estimate). Thus, we propose the asymptotic approximation method(AAM) to solve the above mentioned problems. We notice that the proposed method can be thought as an alternative to estimate item parameters when we have small size of data or need to estimate items with local fluctuations. We developed 'Any Assess' and tested reliability of the system result by simulating a practical use possibility.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.122-131
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• 2002

Recently, performance assessment that makes growing use of free response items in a large scale assessment has been emphasized. This study is an empirical examination of the effectiveness of free response items in comparison with multiple choice items. Using the information function in Item Response Theory (IRT) framework, item information of free response items and multiple-choice items from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TlMSS-R) were obtained. Test information of the whole science area as well as each area of science contents was computed. On average, free response items yielded more information than multiple choice items, especially in earth science, physics, chemistry, and life science. This study also showed that free response items were appropriate for students in high science ability. Also, free response items estimated students' science ability more accurately than multiple choice items with smaller number of free response items.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 1998

In this paper, we have represented the efficient way how to enumerate the optimal number-right scores to adjust the item difficulty and to improve item discrimination. To estimate the optimal number-right scores in two equivalent math-tests by linear score equating a measurement error model was applied to the true scores observed from a pair of equivalent math-tests assumed to measure same trait. The model specification for true scores which is represented by the bivariate model is a simple regression model to inference the optimal number-right scores and we assume again that the two simple regression lines of raw scores and true scores are independent each other in their error models. We enumerated the difference between mean value of $\chi$＊ and ${\mu}$$\_$$\chi$/ and the difference between the mean value of y＊and a＋b${\mu}$$\_$$\chi$/ by making an inference the estimates from 2 error variable regression model. Furthermore, so as to distinguish from the original score points, the estimated number-right scores y’$\^$*/ as the estimated regression values of true scores with the same coordinate were moved to center points that were composed of such difference values with result of such parallel score moving procedure as above mentioned. We got the asymptotically normal distribution in Figure 5 that was represented as the optimal distribution of the optimal number-right scores so that we could decide the optimal proportion of number-right score in each item. Also by assumption that equivalence of two tests is closely connected to unidimensionality of a student’s ability. we introduce new definition of trait score to evaluate such ability in each item. In this study there are much limitations in getting the real true scores and in analyzing data of the bivariate error model. However, even with these limitations we believe that this study indicates that the estimation of optimal number right scores by using this enumeration procedure could be easily achieved.