Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium Proms 2015 Conference Proceedings

This book collects and organizes the original studies presented at PROMS 2015 conference on theories and applications of Rasch model. It provides useful examples of the Rasch model used to address practical measurement problems across a range of different disciplines including Item Response Theory (IRT), philosophy of measurement, dimensionality, the role of fit statistics and residuals, application, educational application, language testing, health-related research, business and industrial application and Rasch-based computer software. PROMS 2015 (Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium) was held from August 20-24th 2015, in Fukuoka, Japan. The goal of this conference is to bring together the researchers from academia, universities, hospitals, industry, management sector as well as practitioners to share ideas, problems and solutions relating to the multifaceted aspects of Rasch Model.

This book collects and organizes the original studies presented at PROMS 2014 conference on theories and applications of Rasch model. It provides useful examples of the Rasch model used to address practical measurement problems across a range of different disciplines including: Item Response Theory (IRT), philosophy of measurement, dimensionality, the role of fit statistics and residuals, application, educational application, language testing, health related research, business and industrial application and Rasch-based computer software. PROMS 2014 (Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium) was held August 2 – 6, 2014 in Guangzhou, China. The goal of this conference is to bring together the researchers from academia, universities, hospitals, industry, management sector as well as practitioners to share ideas, problems and solutions relating to the multifaceted aspects of Rasch Model.

This book gathers original studies presented at the PROMS 2016 conference on Rasch theories and Rasch-based applications. It provides significant examples used to address practical measurement problems across a range of disciplines, including: Classic Testing Theory (CTT), Item Response Theory (IRT), philosophy of measurement, dimensionality, the role of fit statistics and research, business and industrial applications, health-related research and the latest Rasch-based computer software. PROMS welcomes empirical and theoretical studies and workshops, preferably with an emphasis on the Rasch model. Special attention is paid to manuscripts submitted by non-native English-speaking authors from Pacific Rim countries, regions and beyond. PROMS 2016 (Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium) was held July 30-August 3, 2016 in Xi’an, China. The goal of the conference was to bring together researchers, scholars and professors from research institutes, universities, hospitals, business and management sectors, as well as professional practitioners, to exchange and share ideas, problems and solutions regarding the multifaceted aspects of the Rasch model and on the much debated yet highly topical issues of objective assessment.

The papers by Jack Stenner included in this book document the technical details of an art and science of measurement that creates new entrepreneurial business opportunities. Jack brought theory, instruments, and data together in ways that are applicable not only in the context of a given test of reading or mathematics ability, but which more importantly catalyzed literacy and numeracy capital in new fungible expressions. Though Jack did not reflect in writing on the inferential, constructive processes in which he engaged, much can be learned by reviewing his work with his accomplishments in mind. A Foreword by Stenner's colleague and co-author on multiple works, William P. Fisher, Jr., provides key clues concerning (a) how Jack's understanding of measurement and its values aligns with social and historical studies of science and technology, and (b) how recent developments in collaborations of psychometricians and metrologists are building on and expanding Jack's accomplishments. ​This is an open access book.

In this tribute to Benjamin Wright, former students and colleagues recall the foundational contributions he made to the theory and practice of measurement in a career spanning over five decades. Wright is recognized as the foremost proponent of the psychometric approach of Georg Rasch, a Danish mathematician, whose ideas continue to provoke controversy. Wright’s colleagues and students, and students of their students, are leaders in educational research and practice around the world. This volume relates the extent of Wright’s influence far beyond education and psychology, where his work in measurement began, into health care and the social sciences at large. The editors and contributors—all leading measurement scholars—trace the development of themes in Wright’s work, identifying the roots of today’s formative assessment methods, the integration of quantitative and qualitative data, and the contrast between scientific and statistical methods. These previously unpublished papers reflect on Wright’s lifelong passion for making measurement both more scientific and more meaningful. They recount how Wright’s insight, energy, and gregarious nature led him to produce multiple innovations in computing, estimation methods, model development, fit assessment, and reliability theory, stimulating practical applications in dozens of fields, serving on over 120 dissertation committees, and founding several professional societies. The volume includes three reprinted articles by Wright that provide insights into his early engagement with Rasch’s ideas. Psychological and Social Measurement will be welcomed by the broad international measurement community of professionals and researchers working in such diverse fields as education, psychology, health sciences, management, and metrology. Scientists working in any field involving measurement science and technology will appreciate an inside look at this seminal figure and a new perspective on the expanding conversation across the sciences about measurement and the communication of meaningful, transparent information.

Recognised as the most influential publication in the field, ARM facilitates deep understanding of the Rasch model and its practical applications. The authors review the crucial properties of the model and demonstrate its use with examples across the human sciences. Readers will be able to understand and critically evaluate Rasch measurement research, perform their own Rasch analyses and interpret their results. The glossary and illustrations support that understanding, and the accessible approach means that it is ideal for readers without a mathematical background. Highlights of the new edition include: More learning tools to strengthen readers’ understanding including chapter introductions, boldfaced key terms, chapter summaries, activities and suggested readings. Greater emphasis on the use of R packages; readers can download the R code from the Routledge website. Explores the distinction between numerical values, quantity and units, to understand the measurement and the role of the Rasch logit scale (Chapter 4). A new four-option data set from the IASQ (Instrumental Attitude towards Self-assessment Questionnaire) for the Rating Scale Model (RSM) analysis exemplar (Chapter 6). Clarifies the relationship between Rasch measurement, path analysis and SEM, with a host of new examples of Rasch measurement applied across health sciences, education and psychology (Chapter 10). Intended as a text for graduate courses in measurement, item response theory, (advanced) research methods or quantitative analysis taught in psychology, education, human development, business, and other social and health sciences. Professionals in these areas will also appreciate the book’s accessible introduction.

This edited collection provides a state-of-the art overview of research on willingness to communicate (WTC) in a second and foreign language. In particular, it includes innovative studies seeking to demonstrate the ways in which WTC can be examined within the framework of complex dynamic systems, how the construct is related to self-assessment, reticence and extroversion, and what is signifies in the case of immigrants. Another group of papers is related to the role of technology in fostering WTC in different contexts. The volume also comprises papers that touch on methodological issues in the study of WTC such as experience case sampling, the network approach or the integration of the macro- and micro-perspective. The book will be of values to researchers interested in the study of WTC but will also provide inspiration for students, teachers and materials writers.

This book provides a unique reference and comprehensive overview of the issues pertinent to conceptualizing, measuring, researching and nurturing writing motivation. Abdel Latif covers these theoretical, practical and research issues by drawing on the literature related to the eight main constructs of writing motivation: writing apprehension, attitude, anxiety, self-efficacy, self-concept, learning goals, perceived value of writing and motivational regulation. Specifically, the book covers the historical research developments of the field, the measures of the main writing motivation constructs, the correlates and sources of writing motivation, and profiles of motivated and demotivated writers. The book also describes the types of the instructional research of writing motivation, provides pedagogical guidelines and procedures for motivating students to write, and presents suggestions for advancing writing motivation research, measurement and pedagogy. Detailed, up-to-date, and with a glossary which includes definitions of the main terms used in the six chapters, this book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the fields of language education, applied linguistics, psycholinguistics and educational psychology.