ERIC Number: EJ1045788
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0002-4805
EISSN: N/A
Fairness in Computerized Testing: Detecting Item Bias Using CATSIB with Impact Present
Chu, Man-Wai; Lai, Hollis
Alberta Journal of Educational Research, v59 n4 p630-643 Win 2013
In educational assessment, there is an increasing demand for tailoring assessments to individual examinees through computer adaptive tests (CAT). As such, it is particularly important to investigate the fairness of these adaptive testing processes, which require the investigation of differential item function (DIF) to yield information about item bias. The performance of CATSIB, a revision of SIBTEST to accommodate CAT responses, in detecting DIF in a multi-stage adaptive testing (MST) environment is investigated in the present study. Specifically, the power and type I error rates on directional DIF detection of an MST environment when positive and negative impact, group ability differences, was investigated using simulation procedures. The results revealed that CATSIB performed relatively well in identifying the items with DIF when characteristics of the group and items were known. Testing companies are able to use these results to enhance test items which provide students with fair and equitable adaptive testing environments.
Descriptors: Educational Assessment, Test Bias, Computer Assisted Testing, Adaptive Testing, Error of Measurement
University of Alberta, Faculty of Education. 845 Education Centre South, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G5, Canada. Tel: 780-492-7941; Fax: 780-492-0236; Web site: http://ajer.synergiesprairies.ca
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A