INVESTIGATING LOCAL ITEM INDEPENDENCE IN CIVIC EDUCATION MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS OF JOINT MOCK EXAMINATION

<doi>10.24250/JPE/2/2022/MIJ/RAN

Authors

Keywords:

civic education; investigating; joint mock; local item independence; multiple-choice

Abstract

In preparation for external examinations, Senior Secondary School II students write joint mock examinations in core subjects including civic education. The study examined into the authenticity of civic education test multiple-choice items. A post-hoc research design was used. The population included all public school senior secondary I, II, and III students, whereas the target population included 2020/21 SSS II students. The Kwara State Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development created a 50-item multiple-choice item for the research. At different stages of selection, stratified, proportionate, and simple random sampling techniques were used. Using tetrachoric correlation statistics, one research question was posed and answered. Based on the thumb rule of 0.3, 41 of 50 items favoured local item independence. Local item dependency should be taught as part of psychometric properties in undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

Author Biographies

Mohammed Idris JIMOH, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Dr JIMOH Mohammed Idris is a Lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. His area of specialization is Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation. He has supervised many undergraduates and master’s students’ projects. He is a member of the Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria, Association of Educational Researchers and Evaluators of Nigeria, (ASSEREN), Behavioural Research Analysts and Psychometricians in Nigeria, Association of Computerized Adaptive Test in Africa (ACATA), and National Council of Educational Psychologists in Nigeria etc. He is a member of the editorial board of the Nigeria Journal of Educational Foundations and Nigerian Journal of Educational Research and Evaluation He is a peer reviewer in local, national, and international journals and has attended conferences both within and outside Nigeria.

Rashidat ABDULSALAM-NUHU, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

Dr ABDULSALAM-NUHU Rashidat is a teacher of Geography with the Kwara State Teaching Service Commission in senior secondary school and an Adjunct lecturer in the Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria. Her area of specialization is Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation. She has supervised a few undergraduate and master’s student projects. She is a member of the Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria, (TRCN), Association of Educational Researchers and Evaluators of Nigeria, (ASSEREN), Nigeria Institute of Management, (NIM) etc.

References

Alade, O. M., Aletan, S. & Sokenu, B. S. (2020). Assessing the dimensionality and local independence of WASSCE 2018 Mathematics objective tests scores in Lagos State, Nigeria. AJB-SDR, 2 (1), 8–16. https://www.abreap.org.

Anigbo, L. C. (2016). Factors Affecting Students' Interest in Mathematics in Secondary Schools in Enugu State. International Journal of Education and Evaluation, 2, (1), 22–28. https://www.iiardpub.org.

Ayanwale, M. A. (2017). Efficacy of Item Response Theory in score ranking and concurrent validity of dichotomous and polytomous response mathematics achievement test in Osun State, Nigeria. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. Institute of Education. University of Ibadan.

Brown, D. H. (2004). Language assessment: Principles and classroom practice. Longman.

Busari, Y. T. & Busari, K. S. (2020). Comparing local item dependency from inter-item correlation matrix and principal component analysis from factor analysis for the dimensionality of the multidimensional dataset. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP)·10, (7), 254–263. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343496184.

Chen, W. H. & Thissen, D. (1997). Local dependence indexes for item pairs using item response theory. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 22, 265-289.

Courville, T. G. (2004). An Empirical Comparison of Item Response Theory and Classical Test Theory Item/Person Statistics, Ph.D. Dissertation, Texas A & M University.

Identification of local dependence in the Rasch model using residual correlations. White Rose Research Online, 1–37.

Christensen, K. B., Makransky, G. & Horton, M. (2017). Top of FormCritical Values for Yen's Q3: Identification of Local Dependence in the Rasch Model Using Residual Correlations. Applied Psychological Measurement. 41(3), 178–194. Doi: 10.1177/0146621616677520.

Das Nair, R., Moreton, B. J., & Lincoln, N. B. (2011). Rasch analysis of the Nottingham extended activities of daily living scale. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 43, 944–950.

Davidson, M., Keating, J. L., & Eyres, S. (2004). A low back-specific version of the SF-36 Physical Functioning Scale. Spine, 29, 586-594. 192 Applied Psychological Measurement 41(3).

De Ayala, R. J. (2010). The Theory and Practice of Item Response. Journal of Educational Measurement 47 (4). Available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com. https:/doi:10.1111/j.1745-3984.2010.

Debelak, R. & Koller, I. (2019). Testing the Local Independence Assumption of the Rasch Model with Q3-Based Nonparametric Model Tests. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1–15.

Embretson, S. E., & Reise, S. P. (2000). Item response theory for psychologists. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria, (2014). National policy on education. (Reprinted 6th Ed.). NERDC Press.

Hissbach, J. C., Klusmann, D. & Hampe, W. (2011). Dimensionality and predictive validity of the HAMNat, a test of natural sciences for medical school admission. BMC Medical Education, 11, Article 83.

Hughes, A. (2003). Testing for the language teacher. Cambridge University Press.

Huynh, H. & Michaels, H. R. (1995). A comparison of three statistical procedures to identify. A paper was presented at the invited symposium “Technical advances in partial credit models and their applications to performance assessments” at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education, San Francisco.

Ibrahim, A. (2017). The Influence of Item Response Parameters, Distracter Functioning andCorrect Response Location on the Difficulty Level of Multiple-Choice Questions. Journal of Educational Studies, Institute of Education, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. 17(1), 490-504. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322042556.

Kim, D., De Ayala, R., Ferdous, A. A., & Nering, M. (2011). The comparative performance of conditional independence indices. Applied Psychological Measurement, 35, 447-471.

Kotz, S. & Johnson, N. L. (2006). Encyclopedia of Statistical Science, (2nd ed). Wiley

Kwara State Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development (2021). Annual education sector Performance report.

La Porta, F., Franceschini, M., Caselli, S., Cavallini, P., Susassi, S., & Tennant, A. (2011). Unified balance scale: An activity-based, bed for the community, and an aetiology-independent measure of balance calibrated with Rasch analysis. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 43, 435-444.

Makransky, G. & Bilenberg, N. (2014). Psychometric properties of the parent and teacher ADHD rating scale (ADHD-RS): Measurement invariance across gender, age, and informant. Assessment, 21, 694-705.

Moghadam, P. B. & Pishghadam, R. (2008). The effects of the violation of local independence assumption on the person measures under the Rasch model. IJAL, 11, (1), 51 – 67.

Monseur, C, Baye, A, Lafontaine, D, and Quittre, V. (2011). PISA test format assessment and the local independence assumption. Educational Testing Service and International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. Monograph Series: Issues and Methodologies in Large-Scale Assessments Volume 4, 131 – 153.

Musa, A. Bichi, A. A., Suleiman, A. H. (2021). Implementation of the Civic Education Curriculum or Effective Citizenship, Peace and National Unity in Nigeria. American Journal of Humanities and Social Science (AJHSS), Journal Online,14, 6–13. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350 099042.

Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (2013). 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum – Civic Education for upper basic education (SS 1-3). NERDC Press.

Olsbjerg, M, & Christensen, K. B. (2015). Modelling local dependence in longitudinal IRT models. Behavior Research Methods 47, 1413–1424.

Onuka, A. O. U. (2011). Item Local Independence in WAEC (SSCE) Economics in Ajerorni-Ifelodun Local Government Area, Lagos State. Ife Journal of Theory and Research in Education (IJOTRE) 13, (2), 105 -117.

Pourya, B. M. & Reza, P. (2008). The Effects of the Violation of Local Independence Assumption on the Person Measures under the Rasch Model. International Journal of Applied Logistic 11(1): 61-67

Ramp, M., Khan, F,Misajon, R. A. & Pallant, J. F. (2009). Rasch analysis of the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29). Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 7, article 58. http://www.hqlo.com/content/7/1/58. Doi:10.1186/1477-7525-7-58.

Røe, C., Damsgard, E., Fors, T., & Anke, A. (2014). Psychometric properties of the pain stages of change questionnaire as evaluated by Rasch analysis in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 15, Article 95.

Sijtsma K., Molenaar, I. W. (2002). Introduction to nonparametric item response theory. Sage.

Ten Klooster, P. M., Taal, E, & van de Laar, M. A. F. J. (2008). Rasch analysis of the Dutch health assessment questionnaire disability and the Health Assessment Questionnaire II in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 59, 1721-1728.

The online Premium Times (November 2, 2020). Updated: 65.24% of WASSCE candidates scored five credits in Mathematics English Language and others, announced by Patrick Areghan, the Council's Head of National Office, Lagos.

Ubi, I. O., Umoinyang, I. E. & Joshua, M. T. (2011). Item local independence in selection examination in Nigeria. Education for Today, 7, (1).

Van den Wollenberg, A. L. (1982). Two new test statistics for the Rasch model. Psychometrika, 47, 123-139.

Wang, W. C., Cheng, Y. Y. & Wilson, M. (2005). Local item dependence for items across Tests are connected by common stimuli. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 65 (1), 5-27.

Ziegler, M. & Hagemann, D. (2015). Testing the Unidimensionality of Items: Pitfalls and Loopholes. European Journal of Psychological Assessment. 31(4): 231–237.

Downloads

Published

2022-11-01