A multidimensional investigation of the validity of a new large-scale reading assessment instrument: The reading portion of the Illinois Goal Assessment Program
Greer, Eunice Ann
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Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/22027
Description
Title
A multidimensional investigation of the validity of a new large-scale reading assessment instrument: The reading portion of the Illinois Goal Assessment Program
Author(s)
Greer, Eunice Ann
Issue Date
1991
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Pearson, P. David
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Tests and Measurements
Education, Elementary
Education, Reading
Language
eng
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the validity of the third grade reading portion of the Illinois Goal Assessment Program (IGAP). This is accomplished in two steps. First, by looking at the IGAP's relationship to other group and individual measures of reading comprehension via factor analyses, then, by using multiple regression to investigate the sensitivity of the IGAP to instructional practices in three sites.
Data for the present study have been collected as part of a longitudinal study of how children develop the ability to comprehend and how they acquire science concepts. Approximately 350 students from 3 districts in Illinois participated in the study. The school communities differ with respect to location, SES, ethnicity, and professional diversity. Data collection began when students began kindergarten. Data from three sources are used in this study: observational data from six, full day classroom observations, beginning and end of year individual and group tests and parent questionnaires.
Ten third grade tests are used in the factor analysis: Wide Range Ability Test (WRAT) (Jastak & Wilkinson, 1984), the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test (Woodcock, 1973), the Interactive Reading Assessment System (IRAS) (R. Calfee & K. Calfee, 1982), the Circus$\sp\copyright$ Listening Test--Level D (Educational Testing Service, 1976a), the Circus$\sp\copyright$ Think it Through Test--Level D (Education Testing Service, 1976b), the Diagnostic Science Reading Passages (DSRP) (Meyer, Hastings & Linn, 1987a), the Open Court$\sp\copyright$ Error Detection Test (Open Court, 1987), the STEP$\sp\copyright$ Science Test-Level E (Educational Testing Service, 1979), the NSF Third Grade Science Test (Meyer, Hastings & Linn, 1987b), and the reading portion of the Illinois Goal Assessment Program (IGAP) (Pearson & Valencia, 1987).
The factor analysis results indicate that the tests load on two factors, a comprehension factor and a factor which contrasts reading rate and accuracy with narrative comprehension. Two elements of the IGAP failed to load on either factor: the literacy survey and the reading strategies measures.
The three within site multiple regressions models were developed using hierarchical regression techniques. Results are consistent across the three sites. After controlling for entering ability, home influences and the influence of first and second grade teachers, instructional activities in third grade which focus students' attention on comprehension are associated with increased performance on the IGAP. Instructional activities which focus students' attention on decoding are associated with decreased performance on the IGAP.
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