Chapter 10 Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to inspire the reader to move beyond what has been described and discussed in the previous chapters. Reading about measurement issues, trying out your measurement ideas in practical context, and engaging in discussions about your measurement efforts and the theoretical issues that they provoke—these are all excellent activities that comprise a first step into the measurement domain. But we have hardly scratched the surface of the deep debates, the modes of practice, and the literatures that make up the domain of measurement. The topics in this chapter represent several directions in which the reader can deepen and broaden their interests and experiences in measurement: These are not the only possible directions, just the ones I have chosen for this chapter. One clear set of paths is to look beyond the four building blocks that form the basis of the account in this book. Specifically,
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(a) the reader can look beyond the simple model of a multidimensional construct that is implicit in Section 9.1 (and all of the most typical models in multidimensional IRT and factor analysis)—Section 10.1 describes a model of constructs that embraces the idea of a “pre-requisite” to go outside of the waypoints within a construct map to model prerequisite links across constructs;
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(b) the reader can look beyond the usual forms of items designs (and their linked outcome spaces) that are featured in this book, and look to newer observational formats that are made possible with newer technologies of data gathering—Section 10.2 describes a game-like interactive environment that incorporates the basic measurement technology of the BAS into an internet-based activity;
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(c) the reader can look to more complex models of the scientific content—Section 10.3 discusses both possibilities; and
(d) the reader can explore other systems of measurement design and development (collectively called principled assessment designs)—Section 10.4 gives a description of their essential features, lists the current examples, and describes one of them in more detail.
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A final section (10.5) encourages the reader to continue the explorations they have begun in working through this book.