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Nonparametric Classification Method for Multiple-Choice Items in Cognitive Diagnosis

Author

Listed:
  • Yu Wang

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Chia-Yi Chiu

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Hans Friedrich Köhn

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Abstract

The multiple-choice (MC) item format has been widely used in educational assessments across diverse content domains. MC items purportedly allow for collecting richer diagnostic information. The effectiveness and economy of administering MC items may have further contributed to their popularity not just in educational assessment. The MC item format has also been adapted to the cognitive diagnosis (CD) framework. Early approaches simply dichotomized the responses and analyzed them with a CD model for binary responses. Obviously, this strategy cannot exploit the additional diagnostic information provided by MC items. De la Torre’s MC Deterministic Inputs, Noisy “And†Gate (MC-DINA) model was the first for the explicit analysis of items having MC response format. However, as a drawback, the attribute vectors of the distractors are restricted to be nested within the key and each other. The method presented in this article for the CD of DINA items having MC response format does not require such constraints. Another contribution of the proposed method concerns its implementation using a nonparametric classification algorithm, which predestines it for use especially in small-sample settings like classrooms, where CD is most needed for monitoring instruction and student learning. In contrast, default parametric CD estimation routines that rely on EM- or MCMC-based algorithms cannot guarantee stable and reliable estimates—despite their effectiveness and efficiency when samples are large—due to computational feasibility issues caused by insufficient sample sizes. Results of simulation studies and a real-world application are also reported.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu Wang & Chia-Yi Chiu & Hans Friedrich Köhn, 2023. "Nonparametric Classification Method for Multiple-Choice Items in Cognitive Diagnosis," Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, , vol. 48(2), pages 189-219, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:jedbes:v:48:y:2023:i:2:p:189-219
    DOI: 10.3102/10769986221133088
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chia-Yi Chiu & Jeffrey Douglas & Xiaodong Li, 2009. "Cluster Analysis for Cognitive Diagnosis: Theory and Applications," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 74(4), pages 633-665, December.
    2. Curtis Tatsuoka, 2002. "Data analytic methods for latent partially ordered classification models," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 51(3), pages 337-350, July.
    3. Hans Friedrich Köhn & Chia-Yi Chiu, 2021. "A Unified Theory of the Completeness of Q-Matrices for the DINA Model," Journal of Classification, Springer;The Classification Society, vol. 38(3), pages 500-518, October.
    4. Chia-Yi Chiu & Yan Sun & Yanhong Bian, 2018. "Cognitive Diagnosis for Small Educational Programs: The General Nonparametric Classification Method," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 83(2), pages 355-375, June.
    5. Chia-Yi Chiu & Yuan-Pei Chang, 2021. "Advances in CD-CAT: The General Nonparametric Item Selection Method," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 86(4), pages 1039-1057, December.
    6. Hans-Friedrich Köhn & Chia-Yi Chiu, 2017. "A Procedure for Assessing the Completeness of the Q-Matrices of Cognitively Diagnostic Tests," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 82(1), pages 112-132, March.
    7. Shiyu Wang & Jeff Douglas, 2015. "Consistency of Nonparametric Classification in Cognitive Diagnosis," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 80(1), pages 85-100, March.
    8. Hans-Friedrich Köhn & Chia-Yi Chiu, 2019. "Attribute Hierarchy Models in Cognitive Diagnosis: Identifiability of the Latent Attribute Space and Conditions for Completeness of the Q-Matrix," Journal of Classification, Springer;The Classification Society, vol. 36(3), pages 541-565, October.
    9. Chia-Yi Chiu & Jeff Douglas, 2013. "A Nonparametric Approach to Cognitive Diagnosis by Proximity to Ideal Response Patterns," Journal of Classification, Springer;The Classification Society, vol. 30(2), pages 225-250, July.
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