EXTERNAL STUDY/ONLINE UNIT, JULY 26 - NOVEMBER 1, 2004
INTRODUCTION TO RASCH MEASUREMENT AND TRADITIONAL CLASSICAL TEST THEORY (CTT)

Unit Coordinators: Professor David Andrich and Associate Professor Guanzhong Luo

THE UNIT OF STUDY - BACKGROUND
In the Australian Semester 2, 2004 (July 26 to November 26), a graduate unit of study introducing Rasch measurement is available in the external study mode. This mode of study means that the unit can be studied from anywhere in the world. A discussion group will operate for online interaction as part of the course.

Students enrolled obtain (i) a set of lecture materials, which includes hard copy of all of the lectures, (ii) details of the assignments you will be required to submit, (iii) the necessary reading materials, and (iv) the Study Guide setting out the steps you will need to follow to successfully complete the unit.

This unit has been presented in the same period every year from 2000. In each of 2002 and 2003, over 50 people from many parts of the world took the opportunity to enroll. Because of the success of the previous presentations, the course is being offered again this year. See below for a list of the enrolment formats available to you.

FEATURES OF THE UNIT

1. it begins from first principles,
2. exercises at the end of each lecture consolidate the ideas,
3. it introduces the Guttman structure as a lead into both traditional test theory and Rasch measurement,
4. it reviews elementary traditional test theory in a way that it relates to the Rasch models,
5. it reviews the necessary elementary statistics,
6. it studies the dichotomous model and the model for ordered response categories,
7. it studies model fit, including differential item functioning,
8. it involves discussion group which permits you to interact with other students in the class
9. it provides a full version of the interactive, Windows-based program RUMM for analyzing data. (The use of the program is available throughout the unit)

The RUMM program is a very easy to use interactive program that permits learning many features of the Rasch measurement model by working around the program's menus - for example the effects of rescoring any item, deleting items, studying alternatives in distracters, assessing differential item functioning, automatic linking of different sets of items, effects of deleting samples or individuals, taking account of missing data, and so on. To enhance understanding all of the information is available both graphically and statistically, including item characteristic curves, person item maps, etc.

TOPICS COVERED
Topic 1	Review of measurement and statistics in education and social science
Topic 2	Reliability and validity
Topic 3	Formalization of traditional reliability
Topic 4	Calculation of reliability
Topic 5	The Rasch model for dichotomous responses: The simplest latent trait model
Topic 6	Separation of person and item parameters
Topic 7	The significance of total scores
Topic 8	Estimating person ability and item difficulty
Topic 9	Fit of the data to the model: general fit.
Topic 10	The Rasch model for ordered response categories: Analysis of partial credit or rated items
Topic 11	Fit of the data to the model: Differential Item Functioning (DIF)
Topic 12	(a) A relationship between the reliability of traditional test theory and Rasch latent trait theory (b) Linking using the Rasch model

Information about the course can be obtained from

EXAMPLES OF POSITIVE RESPONSES TO THE UNIT IN 2002.

"This is by far one of the best courses on measurement theory I have ever enrolled in!"

"Despite it being a distance course, I learned a great deal."

"Both unit materials and assignments allowed me to learn the essential aspects of the subject."

"The lecture materials were well organized, logical, and easy to follow."

WHO SHOULD ENROLL

The unit is suitable for people from many social research backgrounds, but four in particular have been seen to gain most benefit from their enrolment.

(i) Professionals engaged in assessment and measurement of performance and attitude, interested in learning the principles of modern test theory and Rasch measurement in particular.

(ii) People in education, psychology, health care, health sciences who are concerned with outcome measurement.

(iii) People who have become familiar with Rasch measurement and item response theory through professional exposure, but would like to consolidate their understanding of its first principles.

(iv) Students who are involved in higher degree studies and require knowledge and evidence of studying educational and psychological measurement, in particular introduction to traditional and modern test theory.

THREE METHODS OF ENROLLING

1. As a professional taking the unit as a professional development course. The only difference between this enrolment and the next two kinds of enrolment is that in this one no formal assessment and grading is carried out, although work handed in is marked. Those who have participated effectively are given a certificate of participation.

2. As a student from a university, other than Murdoch University for which the student would like credit towards their degree. Students should check in advance if their university will give them credit for the unit.

3. As a student enrolled at Murdoch University.

The cost of the unit for enrolment as professional development or from a non-Australian university is $US700.00. Students from Australian universities may wish to enroll using the cross-institutional enrolment facility. For further information regarding costs, timetable, enrolment procedures, and so on, please contact Jan Christie ( christie@murdoch.edu.au ) using the SUBJECT: "RaschOnLine2004S2" who will respond to your query and put you on our mailing list.

David Andrich andrich@murdoch.edu.au

RASCH EXTERNAL STUDY/ONLINE UNIT, JULY 26 - NOVEMBER 1, 2004, Andrich D. … Rasch Measurement Transactions, 2004, 18:1 p.968-969

Rasch Books and Publications
Invariant Measurement: Using Rasch Models in the Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, 2nd Edn. George Engelhard, Jr. & Jue Wang	Applying the Rasch Model (Winsteps, Facets) 4th Ed., Bond, Yan, Heene	Advances in Rasch Analyses in the Human Sciences (Winsteps, Facets) 1st Ed., Boone, Staver	Advances in Applications of Rasch Measurement in Science Education, X. Liu & W. J. Boone	Rasch Analysis in the Human Sciences (Winsteps) Boone, Staver, Yale
Introduction to Many-Facet Rasch Measurement (Facets), Thomas Eckes	Statistical Analyses for Language Testers (Facets), Rita Green	Invariant Measurement with Raters and Rating Scales: Rasch Models for Rater-Mediated Assessments (Facets), George Engelhard, Jr. & Stefanie Wind	Aplicação do Modelo de Rasch (Português), de Bond, Trevor G., Fox, Christine M	Appliquer le modèle de Rasch: Défis et pistes de solution (Winsteps) E. Dionne, S. Béland
Exploring Rating Scale Functioning for Survey Research (R, Facets), Stefanie Wind	Rasch Measurement: Applications, Khine	Winsteps Tutorials - free Facets Tutorials - free	Many-Facet Rasch Measurement (Facets) - free, J.M. Linacre	Fairness, Justice and Language Assessment (Winsteps, Facets), McNamara, Knoch, Fan
Other Rasch-Related Resources: Rasch Measurement YouTube Channel
Rasch Measurement Transactions & Rasch Measurement research papers - free	An Introduction to the Rasch Model with Examples in R (eRm, etc.), Debelak, Strobl, Zeigenfuse	Rasch Measurement Theory Analysis in R, Wind, Hua	Applying the Rasch Model in Social Sciences Using R, Lamprianou	El modelo métrico de Rasch: Fundamentación, implementación e interpretación de la medida en ciencias sociales (Spanish Edition), Manuel González-Montesinos M.
Rasch Models: Foundations, Recent Developments, and Applications, Fischer & Molenaar	Probabilistic Models for Some Intelligence and Attainment Tests, Georg Rasch	Rasch Models for Measurement, David Andrich	Constructing Measures, Mark Wilson	Best Test Design - free, Wright & Stone Rating Scale Analysis - free, Wright & Masters
Virtual Standard Setting: Setting Cut Scores, Charalambos Kollias	Diseño de Mejores Pruebas - free, Spanish Best Test Design	A Course in Rasch Measurement Theory, Andrich, Marais	Rasch Models in Health, Christensen, Kreiner, Mesba	Multivariate and Mixture Distribution Rasch Models, von Davier, Carstensen

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