Model Analysis and Model Creation: Capturing the Task Model Structure of Quantitative Item Domains
- Author(s):
- Deane, Paul; Graf, Edith Aurora; Higgins, Derrick; Futagi, Yoko; Lawless, René
- Publication Year:
- 2006
- Report Number:
- RR-06-11
- Source:
- Document Type:
- Subject/Key Words:
- Item modeling item generation evidence-centered design ECD task modeling Model Creator mathematics cognition mathematics assessment item difficulty
Abstract
This study focuses on the relationship between item modeling and evidence-centered design (ECD); it considers how an appropriately generalized item modeling software tool can support systematic identification and exploitation of task-model variables, and then examines the feasibility of this goal, using linear-equation items as a test case. The first half of the study examines task-model structures for linear equations and their relevance to item difficulty within ECD. The second half of the study presents prototype software, a Model Creator system for pure math items, designed to partially automate the creation of variant item models reflecting different combinations of task-model variables. The prototype is applied to linear equations but is designed to generalize over a range of pure mathematical content types.