Pre-Conference Workshop (I)
Generalized Linear Mixed Models and Rasch Measurement Theory
George Engelhard, Jr. (The University of Georgia)
Jue Wang (University of Science and Technology of China)
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. August 28, 2023
Venue: Macau Center, World Sports University, Macau, SAR, China
The purpose of this workshop is to introduce participants to the use of generalized linear mixed models and Rasch Measurement Theory. A brief overview of generalized linear mixed models is provided. De Boeck and Wilson (2004) described the development of explanatory item response models (EIRM). We illustrate the use of an R package called EIRM (Bulut, 201) to estimate several extended Rasch models including the Dichotomous Model, the Linear Logistic Rasch Model, Linear Regression Rasch Model, and Combined Covariates Rasch Model.
References
Bulut, O. (2021). eirm: Explanatory item response modeling for dichotomous and polytomous item responses [Computer software]. Available from http://CRAN.R-project.org/package=eirm.
De Boeck, P., & Wilson, M. (Eds.) (2004). Explanatory item response models: A generalized linear and nonlinear approach. New York: Springer.
Pre-Conference Workshop (II)
Introduction to Rasch Measurement Using WINSTEPS
Prof. Yanzi, The Education University of Hong Kong SAR, ChinaTime: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. August 28, 2023
Venue: Macau Center, World Sports University, Macau, SAR, China
Prof. Zi Yan, the deputy chair of PROMS, of the Education University of Hong Kong is specialized in educational assessment and applying Rasch analysis in education and psychology issues.
This is a dual language (English/Chinese) practical workshop used to be jointly run by Prof. Trevor Bond and me in both Chinese and English to introduce Rasch measurement to colleagues using Winsteps software. Theoretical and procedural presentations are followed by guided hands-on data analysis and interpretation. Participants were told to bring their own laptop computers (with Office and Adobe Reader pre-installed). This time, I’ll run the workshop myself.
Pre-Conference Workshop (III)
Introduction to Rasch-GZ：The 1st Chinese Version of Rasch-based Item Analysis and Test Equating
(首个中文版的基于Rasch 模型的项目分析与试题等值系统
Quan Zhang (Jiaxing University, Zhejiang, China)
Jingang Wei (Program of Education, Tarlac State University, the Philippines)
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. August 28, 2023
Venue: Macau Center, World Sports University, Macau, SAR, China
The purpose of this workshop is to introduce in both English and Chinese to participants the use of the first Chinese version of Rasch-based Item Analysis and Test Equating System ad hoc developed over the past three years of fighting against COVID-19 under the global situation. We want our participants to bring their own laptop computers because we’ll distribute Rasch-GZ student version, free of charge, for you to install in your computer simply with a click of mouse.
The workshop falls in to three parts. During the first two hours, the use of item analysis as reference to moderate multiple-choice questions and test equating via linking items will be introduced. Participants needn’t have particular psychometric competence. As Rasch-GZ displays all the results in Chinese, it would be easy to follow the menu operation. After coffee break, we’ll demonstrate with real data to show how to run Rasch-GZ. In the afternoon, we’ll have practice with questions and answers session.
The background of the study
Of all the objective measurement approaches at the disposal of researchers and practitioners over the past century, Rasch model is the most versatile, powerful and feasible. However, in China, such a versatile, powerful and feasible approach is mostly confined within a small professional group of English major for language testing, the understanding, dissemination and the beauty of which are never fully experienced or shared by a majority of other Chinese speaking researchers, especially those young researchers whose majors are not in English language. Furthermore, so far there is practically no testing-specific program producing result interpretations in Chinese. This has been the real status quo ever since the ten-year Matriculation English Test (MET) Equating Project (1990-1999) was implemented in China. Motivated by this, the workshop runner organized a small group of professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic period since 2019, discussing the possibility of meeting the on-going rapid development with an emphasis on further promoting the use of Rasch so as to be well geared with the international practice today.
Aims of the workshop
Our goal is to present the most updated RASCH-GZ program in Chinese version and publish the user guide handbook that would give Rasch community of Chinese-speaking researchers and practitioners worldwide a general picture regarding Rasch measurement conducted in the context of PROMS 2023, Macau, China. The past three years witnessed our achievement. We have successfully developed Rasch-GZ and could present and demonstrate with data here.
Features of Rasch-GZ
To meet the higher demands of test equating today, Rasch-GZ exhibits in at least five aspects as follows:
(1) unlimited data matrix;
(2) adjustable number of linking items;
(3) Chi-sqaure test prior to equating;
(4) plotting and online technical supports;
(5) language (Chinese or English) can be selected.
Results
The parameters obtained from Rasch-GZ are highly co-related with those from BILOG, PARSCALE and WINSTEPS
Significance of Rasch-GZ
(1) Rasch-GZ is the first Chinese version of Rasch-based system for item analysis and test equating;
(2) The interface designed has well met the needs of Chinese speaking researchers whose majors are not English;
(3) The release of Rasch-GZ will greatly promote the learning and application of Rasch model in and outside China;
(4) Student version is free of charge, encouraging our younger researchers to get access to Rasch learning.