Symposium: The Rasch Model for Achievement Tests—Inappropriate in the Past, Inappropriate Today, Inappropriate Tomorrow
Keywords:
Rasch model, Educational measurement, Mathematics, Ontario Assessment Instrument Pool, Test validityAbstract
Robitaille and O'Shea (1983) used the Rasch model in developing a set of 40-item mathematics achievement tests using multi-choice items for the British Columbia item bank. The present paper argues that (a) the Rasch model is inappropriate for such a purpose, (b) their article presents the model in a far more favourable light than it deserves, and (c) continued application of the model encourages less desirable educational practice and misdirects scarce resources. A fundamentally different approach is suggested and illustrated by work on the Ontario Assessment Instrument Pool (OAIP).
References
Goldstein, H., & Blinkhorn, S. Monitoring educational standards - An inappropriate model. Bulletin of the British Psychological Society, 1977, 30, 309-311.
McLean, L.D. Report of the 1981 field trials of the Ontario Assessment Instrument Pool. Toronto: Ontario Ministry of Education, 1982.
Rentz, R.R., & Rentz, C.C. Does the Rasch model really work? A discussion for practitioners. Princeton: ERIC Clearinghouse on Tests, Measurement, and Evaluation, E.T.S., 1978.
Robitaille, D.F., & O'Shea, T. The development of an item bank in mathematics using the Rasch model. Canadian Journal of Education, 1983, 8(1), 57-70.
Traub, R.E., & Wolfe, R.G. Latent trait theories and the assessment of educational achievement. In D.C. Berliner (Ed.), Review of Research in Education, 1981, 9, 377-435.
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