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ERIC Number: EJ1016205
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Aug-11
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1099-839X
EISSN: N/A
Criterion-Referenced Exit Examinations: An Institution's Internal Process for Psychometric Analysis
Lieneck, Cristian; Morrison, Eileen; Price, Larry
Current Issues in Education, v16 n2 Aug 2013
The Texas State University-San Marcos undergraduate healthcare administration program requires all bachelors of health administration (BHA) students to pass a comprehensive examination to demonstrate their knowledge of specific core competencies. This also demonstrates completion of their didactic coursework in order to enter a practical internship or residency experience. Since this examination provided important documentation of student learning, the program conducted a detailed psychometric analysis of its three most recent undergraduate comprehensive exit examinations. In order to determine the value of this examination psychometrically, an evaluation of item validity evidence, between-exam reliability, and related assessment of descriptive statistics with regard to overall exam results and individual healthcare administration competency outcomes was necessary. Using Classical Test Theory (CTT) as a methodological framework, the psychometric analysis involved calculating item-level indices that assessed descriptive, validity, difficulty, and discrimination characteristics. This allowed the program's faculty to better interpret student exam outcomes at the overall exam and within-exam competency levels. Additionally, this analysis provided an evaluation of the score reliability of the three alternate exam forms, as well as within-exam healthcare administration competency items, furthering the program's comprehensive exit exam test development process. The outcomes of the analysis included an increased awareness of potential non-equivalent test forms for the total exam and within each exam (competency) level, increased level of interpretation the descriptive results for each exam, and the establishment of a more robust test development process to guide future comprehensive examination efforts.
Arizona State University, Mary Lou Fulton Institute and Graduate School of Education. Deans Office, P.O. Box 870211 Payne 108, Tempe, AZ 85287. Tel: 480-965-3306; Fax: 480-965-6231; e-mail: cie@asu.edu; Web site: http://cie.asu.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A