Foundations in Applied Measurement in Education (FAME)

FAME 1 Foundations of educational measurement

• Beginner level or refresher.
• 1 day. No additional software

Introduces the foundational concepts of educational assessment and measurement.

Examines key concepts of reliability, validity, latent variables and measurement error.

Covers basic statistical concepts used in educational measurement and reporting.

FAME 2 Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory

• Advanced beginners / FAME 1.
• 1 day. No additional software

Introduces the foundational concepts of educational assessment and measurement.

Examines key concepts of reliability, validity, latent variables and measurement error.

Covers basic statistical concepts used in educational measurement and reporting.

FAME 3 Item and test analysis using ACER ConQuest®

• Intermediate–proficient level / FAME 1&2 / Experienced analysts.
• 1.5 days. ACER ConQuest® software

Involves conducting and interpreting a psychometric analysis of multiple-choice assessment using ACER ConQuest® software to inform refinements to an existing measure. It analyses assessment items where partial credit scoring applies.

Participants apply both the Rasch model and the one parameter logistic (IRT) model.

Participants will work with models for dichotomous and for polytomous data.

FAME 4 Differential Item Functioning (DIF)

• Proficient–advanced / FAME 1–3 / Experienced analysts.
• 2 days. ACER ConQuest® software

Explores important validity and comparability questions through an Item Response Theory paradigm by introducing participants to Differential Item Functioning (DIF) and requiring them to undertake a DIF analysis using ACER ConQuest®.

FAME 5 Test equating

• Advanced / FAME 1–3 / Experienced analysts.
• 2 days. ACER ConQuest® software

Explores test equating methods using the one parameter logistic (IRT) model. Participants will learn to equate 2 assessments on a common measurement scale through common item equating.

FAME 6 Automated psychometric analysis score reports with conquestr

• Advanced / FAME 1–3 / Experienced analysts.
• 1.5 days. ACER ConQuest®, conquestr and RStudio software

Introduces participants to the conquestr package that interfaces with ACER ConQuest® software. Participants will use R and RStudio with conquestr output to produce an automated and reproducible psychometric analysis and reporting workflow for quality assuring multiple-choice assessments.

FAME 7 Working with plausible values

• Advanced / FAME 1–6 / Experienced analysts.
• 2 days. ACER ConQuest®, conquestr and RStudio software

Introduces the theory behind different item response models and case ability estimation routines that can be used to estimate population parameters reliably. Participants will apply this knowledge to fit a combined item response and population model, similar to those seen in large-scale assessment programs such as NAPLAN and the Programme for International Student Assessment, and to correctly apply the law of total variance to undertake secondary analysis to yield unbiased population parameter estimates.

FAME 8 Complex survey designs in large-scale assessment

• Advanced / FAME 1–6 / Experienced analysts.
• 2 days. ACER ConQuest®, conquestr and RStudio software

Introduces complex survey designs used in large-scale assessment programs to accurately estimate population parameters that are representative of national or sub-national populations of interest. Participants will apply this knowledge to correctly apply the law of total variance to undertake secondary analysis to yield unbiased population parameter estimates using plausible values, and in addition using replicate weights to perform re-sampling to account for sampling error.