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Statistics; Advanced Placement Programs; Textbooks; Mathematics Instruction; Secondary School Mathematics; Case Studies; Equivalency Tests; Test Items; Undergraduate Students; Student Surveys

Abstract:
This article demonstrates how textbooks differ in their description of the term "experimental unit". Advanced Placement Statistics teachers and students are often limited in their statistical knowledge by the information presented in their classroom textbook. Definitions and descriptions differ among textbooks as well as among different editions of the same textbook. Furthermore, many schools use older editions of textbooks rather than current editions that contain updated information and thus lose the benefit of improved discussions and clarifications. Advanced Placement Statistics teachers should be aware of this issue and seek additional training through workshops, additional textbooks, and webinars to increase and strengthen their knowledge and understanding of key statistical concepts. Textbook authors should be aware of teachers' dependence on the authors' presentation of topics and ensure that key topics like "experimental unit" are covered thoroughly. This article considers three prior Advanced Placement Statistics exam questions to illustrate how different Advanced Placement Statistics textbooks may have influenced students' answers based on the textbooks' authors' treatment of "experimental unit". (Contains 3 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Foreign Countries; Vocational Education; Nontraditional Students; Prior Learning; Recognition (Achievement); Disadvantaged; Experiential Learning; Educational Assessment; Inclusion; Self Esteem; Equivalency Tests; Adult Education

Abstract:
This article considers the underachievement of RPL in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system, in terms of its apparent failure to reach and achieve outcomes for marginalised groups. It notes a range of analyses that are currently used to address this concern and draws on doctoral research in progress to highlight ontological questions that are brought to the process by RPL candidates. Axel Honneth's theory of recognition is then introduced as a means to shed light on these issues. Viewing RPL through the lens of a philosophy of recognition and the concept of ontological security the article asks questions about the nature and effects of the assessor-candidate relationship, inviting consideration of this relationship as an intersubjective exchange within a wider, more fundamental "struggle for recognition". It is argued that a more ontological perspective could provide a framework for increasing access to and successful completion of RPL by non-traditional learners. (Contains 3 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Adult Education; Educational Finance; Tuition; Federal Aid; State Aid; Equivalency Tests; Costs; State Surveys; Resource Allocation; Funding Formulas; Alignment (Education); Postsecondary Education; Educational Innovation; Federal Legislation; Fees; High School Equivalency Programs

Abstract:
At no time in recent history has the importance of adult education been greater and the funding more threatened. Despite the fact that as many as 93 million adults in the U.S. may need basic skills services to improve their economic prospects, funding for these services is stagnating at the federal level and being slashed in statehouses and state agencies across the country. Demand remains high, with at least 160,000 people on waiting lists that exist in nearly every state. At the same time, the labor market is shifting to one that requires workers to have postsecondary credentials to compete. With this shift, the adult education system must transform the way that services are delivered--helping students meet these new demands by preparing them for college and career success, not just a secondary school diploma. To begin the conversation about how to meet existing and emerging needs with shrinking resources, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and the National Council for State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE) surveyed state directors of adult education in February 2012. The goal was to glean information about important policies that govern the way adult education is funded, including the costs borne by local districts, community colleges, and other providers and by the states, the federal government, and students. The results shed light on a national system whose state branches are more different than they are similar. States vary widely across each topic covered--with one critical exception. Most strive to keep costs low for students, who desperately need adult education services to build a better life for themselves and improve their economic prospects. The field of adult education is changing, and with it, financing and tuition policies are shifting to meet new priorities. This survey provides a close look into instrumental funding and tuition policies, but more research should be done to understand how state policy can encourage programming in support of college and career readiness, as well as how federal and state policies may affect overall funding levels for basic skills services. Appended are: (1) Percentage of Funding, by Revenue Source; (2) State Tuition Policies; and (3) State Policies on GED[R] Testing Fees. (Contains 7 tables, 3 figures, and 30 endnotes.) ["Sinking or Swimming: Findings from a Survey of State Adult Education Tuition and Financing Policies" was written with Lennox McLendon.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Evidence; Tests; Biology; Introductory Courses; Productivity; Job Simplification; Hypothesis Testing; Curriculum Design; Weighted Scores; Equivalency Tests; Grade Equivalent Scores; Teacher Effectiveness; Achievement Gains; Instructional Improvement; Performance Technology; Course Organization

Abstract:
We tested the hypothesis that highly structured course designs, which implement reading quizzes and/or extensive in-class active-learning activities and weekly practice exams, can lower failure rates in an introductory biology course for majors, compared with low-structure course designs that are based on lecturing and a few high-risk assessments. We controlled for 1) instructor effects by analyzing data from quarters when the same instructor taught the course, 2) exam equivalence with new assessments called the Weighted Bloom's Index and Predicted Exam Score, and 3) student equivalence using a regression-based Predicted Grade.We also tested the hypothesis that points from reading quizzes, clicker questions, and other "practice" assessments in highly structured courses inflate grades and confound comparisons with low-structure course designs.We found no evidence that points from active-learning exercises inflate grades or reduce the impact of exams on final grades. When we controlled for variation in student ability, failure rates were lower in a moderately structured course design and were dramatically lower in a highly structured course design. This result supports the hypothesis that active-learning exercises can make students more skilled learners and help bridge the gap between poorly prepared students and their better-prepared peers. (Contains 3 figures and 8 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Equivalency Tests; Social Sciences; Sample Size; Probability; Data Analysis; Effect Size; Researchers; Physical Sciences; Intellectual Disciplines; Behavioral Sciences; Tests; Comparative Analysis

Abstract:
Statistical theory and its application provide the foundation to modern systematic inquiry in the behavioral, physical and social sciences disciplines (Fisher, 1958; Wilcox, 1996). It provides the tools for scholars and researchers to operationalize constructs, describe populations, and measure and interpret the relations between populations and variables (Weinbach & Grinnell, 1997; Wilcox, 1996). Given that the majority of real data analysis in the behavioral and social sciences is comprised of non-normally distributed data, it is important that researchers be aware of the effects of non-normal distributions on the probability of detecting equivalence between populations. The present study examined the effects and management of non-normally distributed data on equivalency tests under varied conditions for a two-sample design; and compared the properties of showing equivalence between populations at the smallest effect sizes. The findings for this report indicated that under conditions where sample sets were non-normally distributed, the differences in the statistical properties of the three equivalency tests became most pronounced at the lowest nominal alpha = 0.001 for small to medium sample sizes. Optimal performance in relation to detecting equivalence occurred for the nominal alpha = 0.001, for small sample sizes n[subscript 1] n[subscript 2] (10, 10; 10, 20) under the Smooth Symmetric and Extreme Asymmetry distributions. Overall, all three tests demonstrated low power due to the relatively small sample size combinations paired with small effect sizes, and failed to control Type I error. Based on the findings of this study, none of the three tests were recommended as superior to the other. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Kindergarten; Grade 1; Grade 2; Reading Skills; Bilingual Education; Gender Differences; Ethnicity; Equivalency Tests; Pretests Posttests; Educational Assessment; Reading Ability; Reading Tests; Statistical Analysis; English; Scores; Cohort Analysis; Language Proficiency; Hispanic American Students; Program Effectiveness; Influences

Abstract:
The purpose of this inductive and quantitative research study is to examine the influence of dual language education upon the development of literacy skills in English proficient kindergarten through grade 2 students. Secondly, this research is purposed to aid in filling the void in the limited way in which educational researchers have examined quantitative research of early elementary English proficient dual language students' reading development disaggregated by gender and ethnicity. Finally, this study is purposed to be utilized as an integral component of the discussions leading to policy and program creation and change by educational leaders. An equal number of students from the dual language and the English only environments for each grade level were selected. Baseline equivalency testing was conducted to test for significant differences between groups. Both groups reflected comparable amounts of students in respect to gender and racial/ethnic representations. Students were selected for the sample based on a systematic random sample technique. Every third English only environment student with valid assessment scores was eliminated from the data pool. The remaining students comprised the sample population. The study analyzed pre and post test measures of English proficient students' performance on the Developmental Reading Assessment-Second Edition (DRA2). Scores were compared using Pearson's Layered Chi-Square Contingency Test of Independence Analysis. This study was to more acutely investigate the gradation of DRA2 performance by cohort, ethnicity, and gender. Overall, the results indicate a significant change in overall reading ability for all students with English speaking proficiency in all grade levels for all years. This research study implies there was a significant positive change in the overall reading ability of predominantly non-White and female students in either program who were also in grade 1. This research study also implies there was a significant negative change in overall reading ability of predominantly Latino and male students in kindergarten English only environments. This research study does not conclude there is a direct influence of dual language education upon the English reading skills of kindergarten through grade 2 students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Secondary School Curriculum; College Preparation; Acceleration (Education); Credits; Equivalency Tests; Repetition; Required Courses; Educational Policy; Educational Practices; Remedial Instruction; Graduation

Abstract:
Improving high school graduation rates has become the focus of virtually every high school, district and state nationwide, as dropout rates in many areas remain unacceptably high. As 80-90% of students voice the expectation that they will go to college (and federal labor projections support the need for a more educated workforce), greater numbers of states are making a "college/and career-ready" high school curriculum the default curriculum to earn a high school diploma. Many education stakeholders at the state and local level are wondering how it is possible to raise high school graduation rates while increasing the number and rigor of courses required for a high school diploma. Credit recovery and proficiency-based credit are being adopted by a growing number of states that are working to simultaneously increase graduation rates, create a default "college/career-ready" high school curriculum, and provide acceleration options for students. This issue of "The Progress of Education Reform" addresses the following questions: (1) What is credit recovery? What is proficiency-based credit?; (2) How is credit recovery different from traditional remediation?; (3) Why does providing for these options matter for high school completion?; (4) How widespread are these options across the states? What do state policies look like?; (5) What are the challenges in implementing credit recovery and proficiency-based credit programs?; (6) What does the research say on the effectiveness of credit recovery and proficiency-based credit?; and (7) What are the essential policy components? (Contains 11 endnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Testing Programs; Testing; Computer Uses in Education; Mathematics Tests; High School Equivalency Programs; Equivalency Tests; Feasibility Studies; Test Format; Computer Assisted Testing; Comparative Testing; Intermode Differences; Student Surveys; Participant Satisfaction

Abstract:
This study examined the feasibility of administering GED Tests using a computer based testing system with embedded accessibility tools and the impact on test scores and test-taker experience when GED Tests are transitioned from paper to computer. Nineteen test centers across five states successfully installed the computer based testing program, followed the research protocol, and transmitted testing data with minimal issues, providing evidence of the feasibility of administering GED Tests on computer. Two hundred and sixteen GED candidates participated in the research by completing two GED mathematics practice test forms and a survey. Participants completed the first form on paper and were randomly assigned to take the second form on computer or paper. The survey asked students to report demographic information, information about their use of computers, and their preference for using a computer to take tests. Regression analyses showed that participants were neither advantaged nor disadvantaged by taking the GED Mathematics Test on computer. This finding also holds true after accounting for student's reported computer use and preference for taking tests on computer. (Contains 1 figure and 13 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Postsecondary Education; Dropouts; High School Graduates; Grade 8; At Risk Students; Economics; Comparative Analysis; Longitudinal Studies; Educational Attainment; Outcomes of Education; Equivalency Tests

Abstract:
We use data from the Texas Schools Microdata Panel (TSMP) to examine the extent to which dropouts use the GED as a route to postsecondary education. Lacking suitable instruments that would allow us to directly address potential biases in estimating the "GED path" to postsecondary education, our approach is to base estimates on a set of academically "at risk" students who are very similar in the 8th grade. We observe that the eventual high school graduates in this group have much better postsecondary education outcomes than do the similar at-risk 8th graders who drop out and obtain a GED. We discuss potential explanations for the observed differences in the postsecondary education outcomes of the two groups. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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High School Equivalency Programs; Equivalency Tests; Failure; Repetition; Individual Characteristics; High Stakes Tests; Educational Policy; Testing Programs; Probability; Academic Persistence

Abstract:
Like most high-stakes testing programs, the GED[R] testing program allows examinees who do not pass on the first attempt to retake the GED Tests. Studies and reports have described GED Tests candidates' characteristics and testing performance, but no study has targeted repeat examinees. A series of questions related to repeat examinees remains unanswered: Do repeat examinees have the same characteristics as examinees who pass the GED Tests on the first try? What are repeat examinees' retesting behaviors? What relationship do testing center policies have to a repeat examinee's decision about retesting? The goal of this study is to provide an accurate description of characteristics and testing histories of repeat GED Tests examinees and to examine relationships of individual characteristics and testing center policies with examinees' test performance. Testing and passing rates by GED Tests examinees' social and demographic characteristics are disclosed. The study employs multilevel analyses to disaggregate relationships of individual factors and testing center policies with examinees' decisions about retesting and their passing status. Overall, about half of GED Tests examinees who did not pass the GED Tests on their first attempt retested. Thirty-two percent of all first-time non-passers retested and passed. Among repeat examinees in the current study, nearly 60 percent of them eventually passed the GED Tests through persistent effort. Fifty-four percent of repeat examinees retested in Mathematics, and 49 percent retested in Language Arts, Writing. Status as a young candidate, a white candidate, having completed higher than fifth grade, having a higher first-attempt score, having a goal to enter a two-year college, or taking the Official GED Practice Tests was associated with a higher chance of retesting. At the testing center level, both requiring GED Tests completion in one day and allowing testing in one content area at a time reduced the probability of retesting. The probability of passing also increased for young, white males with English as a primary language, who had a higher first-attempt score, who completed higher than fifth grade, and who had a goal to enter a two-year college. At the testing center level, requiring a retesting fee, requiring GED Tests to be completed in one day, and allowing testing in one content area at a time were negatively associated with the chance of passing for repeat examinees. Completion of GED Tests before scoring increased a repeat examinee's probability of passing the GED Tests. The longer repeat examinees waited before retesting, the higher their chances for passing the GED Tests. Implications of these and other findings from the study are discussed, and suggestions for future research are offered in this report. Appended are: (1) Descriptive Statistics for Candidates Who Did Not Pass on Their First Attempt, by Retesting Status: 2006; (2) Distribution of GED Tests Candidates Who Did Not Pass on the First Attempt, by Reasons for Testing and Retest Status: 2006; (3) Descriptive Statistics for Repeat Examinees, by Passing Status: 2006; (4) Fully Conditional HGLM Results for the Likelihood of Retesting (Population Average Model): 2006; and (5) Fully Conditional HGLM Results for Likelihood of Passing the GED Tests (Population Average Model): 2006. (Contains 9 tables and 3 footnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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