ETD RECORD
Gender differences in mathematics self-efficacy and testwiseness in multiple-choice assessment
Citation
Goodwin, K. Shane.. (2007). Gender differences in mathematics self-efficacy and testwiseness in multiple-choice assessment. Theses and Dissertations Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections. https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/etd/items/etd_181.html
- Title:
- Gender differences in mathematics self-efficacy and testwiseness in multiple-choice assessment
- Author:
- Goodwin, K. Shane.
- Date:
- 2007
- Keywords:
- Multiple-choice examinations--Sex differences Mathematics--Examinations--Sex differences Educational tests and measurements--Sex differences
- Program:
- Education
- Abstract:
- Although multiple-choice examinations are carefully and objectively scored, they can introduce significant variability and measurement error due to both random and informed guessing. In mathematics examinations of a multiple-choice format, one of the possible testwiseness strategies that students can apply is back substitution--also known as reverse engineering or plugging in . This quantitative observational study explored the relationship of gender to both the frequency of back substitution and mathematics self-efficacy--a person's judgments of their capabilities in specific mathematical tasks. Undergraduate students at a private four-year university in southeastern Idaho were sampled from three different lower-division mathematics courses: intermediate algebra, quantitative reasoning, and college algebra. Data were collected through two avenues: (1) an in-class questionnaire containing one algebraic test item to solve coupled with follow-up questions regarding testwiseness strategy and mathematics self-efficacy and (2) a mathematics self-efficacy survey that accompanied an actual standardized multiple-choice examination covering content from intermediate algebra administered in the university testing center. Regression analysis, using key demographic variables as statistical controls, revealed no significant gender differences in, neither the employment of the back-substitution strategy, nor the level of mathematics self-efficacy. Additional statistical results from the observational data, however, revealed some key insights into the application of testwiseness strategies and the accuracy of performance of the adult learner in the context of undergraduate mathematics.
- Description:
- Thesis (Ph. D., Education)--University of Idaho, June 2007.
- Major Professor:
- Lee Ostrom.
- Defense Date:
- June 2007.
- Type:
- Text
- Format Original:
- ix, 112 leaves :ill. ;29 cm.
- Format:
- record
Rights
- Rights:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted. For more information, please contact University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives Department at libspec@uidaho.edu.
- Standardized Rights:
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/