Can a multidimensional hierarchy of skills generate Rasch-homogenous data? A comparison of methods.

Title data

Schoppek, Wolfgang ; Landgraf, Andreas:
Can a multidimensional hierarchy of skills generate Rasch-homogenous data? A comparison of methods.
In: Psychological Test and Assessment Modeling. Vol. 53 (2011) Issue 1 . - pp. 3-34.
ISSN 2190-0493

Official URL:

Abstract in another language

The question of the dimensionality of intelligent performance has kept researchers occupied for decades. We investigate this question in the context of learning elementary arithmetic. Our assumption of a polyhierarchy of skills in arithmetic (HiSkA) predicts a multidimensional structure of test data. This seems to contradict findings that data collected to validate the HiSkA conformed to the Rasch model. To resolve this seeming contradiction, we analysed test data from two samples of third graders with a number of methods ranging from factor analysis and Rasch analysis to multidimensional item response theory (MIRT). Additionally we simulated data sets based on different unidimensional and multidimensional models and compared the results of some of the analyses that were also applied to the empirical data. Results show that a multidimensional generating structure can produce data conforming to the Rasch model under certain conditions, that a general factor explains a substantial amount of variance in the empirical data, but that the HiSkA is capable of explaining much of the residual variance.

Further data

Item Type:	Article in a journal
Refereed:	Yes
Keywords:	learning hierarchy; arithmetic; multidimensional item response theory; competence assessment
Institutions of the University:	Faculties > Faculty of Cultural Studies > Chair Psychology > Chair Psychology - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Carlos Kölbl Faculties Faculties > Faculty of Cultural Studies Faculties > Faculty of Cultural Studies > Chair Psychology
Result of work at the UBT:	Yes
DDC Subjects:	100 Philosophy and psychology > 150 Psychology
Date Deposited:	12 Dec 2013 10:02
Last Modified:	10 Mar 2016 07:01
URI:	https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/40