ERIC Number: EJ1026114
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Jun
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-1644
EISSN: N/A
Multilevel Higher-Order Item Response Theory Models
Huang, Hung-Yu; Wang, Wen-Chung
Educational and Psychological Measurement, v74 n3 p495-515 Jun 2014
In the social sciences, latent traits often have a hierarchical structure, and data can be sampled from multiple levels. Both hierarchical latent traits and multilevel data can occur simultaneously. In this study, we developed a general class of item response theory models to accommodate both hierarchical latent traits and multilevel data. The freeware WinBUGS was used for parameter estimation. A series of simulations were conducted to evaluate the parameter recovery and the consequence of ignoring the multilevel structure. The results indicated that the parameters were recovered fairly well; ignoring multilevel structures led to poor parameter estimation, overestimation of test reliability for the second-order latent trait, and underestimation of test reliability for the first-order latent traits. The Bayesian deviance information criterion and posterior predictive model checking were helpful for model comparison and model-data fit assessment. Two empirical examples that involve an ability test and a teaching effectiveness assessment are provided.
Descriptors: Item Response Theory, Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Computation, Test Reliability, Bayesian Statistics, Models, Markov Processes, Monte Carlo Methods, Goodness of Fit, Computer Software, Mathematics Tests, Achievement Tests, Grade 4, Elementary School Students, Student Evaluation of Teacher Performance, College Students, College Faculty, Correlation, Statistical Analysis, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Elementary Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Taiwan
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Students Evaluation of Educational Quality; Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A