Item response theory (IRT) is currently the dominant methodological paradigm in educational and psychological measurement. IRT models are based on assumptions about the relationship between latent traits and observed responses, so the accuracy of the methodology depends heavily on the reasonableness of these assumptions. This dissertation consists…

Social emotional learning (SEL) programs demonstrate that there may be significant benefits for children in early elementary education. Teachers' adherence, or use of resources, may be influenced by the type of training teachers participate in and years of experience teaching SEL. In this study, I aimed to determine if years of experience and type…

Knowledge assessments in undergraduate mathematics education commonly evaluate response correctness to determine learner proficiency. However, simultaneous evaluation of learner metacognition more accurately assesses the multiple dimensions of knowledge and has been shown to increase assessment validity and reliability. Research into…

At the highest level, this dissertation is a case study on how bias can become encoded into the tools used to measure a construct and into the very definition of the construct itself. In this case, the construct is spatial ability. This dissertation focuses on the validity and accuracy of spatial tests and illuminates gender bias that is…

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) in education are a global phenomenon of education reform that is increasingly being implemented in several countries, including Pakistan. These are being framed as effective policy tools to increase equitable access to education. There are different manifestations and designs of PPPs in different regions, based…