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The disaggregation of value-added test scores to assess learning outcomes in economics courses

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  • William B. Walstad
  • Jamie Wagner

Abstract

This study disaggregates posttest, pretest, and value-added or difference scores in economics into four types of economic learning: positive, retained, negative, and zero. The types are derived from patterns of student responses to individual items on a multiple-choice test. The micro and macro data from the Test of Understanding in College Economics (TUCE) are used to show how aggregate scores can be reinterpreted based on their learning components. The regression analysis shows the relative contribution from learning components to aggregate scores. A value-added or difference score has a potential problem because it is a mixture of positive and negative learning. A better alternative would be to use the positive learning scores to assess improvement in economic understanding.

Suggested Citation

  • William B. Walstad & Jamie Wagner, 2016. "The disaggregation of value-added test scores to assess learning outcomes in economics courses," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 121-131, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jeduce:v:47:y:2016:i:2:p:121-131
    DOI: 10.1080/00220485.2016.1146104
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    1. Becker, William E. & Powers, John R., 2001. "Student performance, attrition, and class size given missing student data," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 377-388, August.
    2. Koedel, Cory & Mihaly, Kata & Rockoff, Jonah E., 2015. "Value-added modeling: A review," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 180-195.
    3. Sam Allgood & William B. Walstad & John J. Siegfried, 2015. "Research on Teaching Economics to Undergraduates," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 53(2), pages 285-325, June.
    4. Mark Dickie, 2006. "Do Classroom Experiments Increase Learning in Introductory Microeconomics?," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(3), pages 267-288, July.
    5. Nan L. Maxwell & John R. Mergendoller & Yolanda Bellisimo, 2005. "Problem-Based Learning and High School Macroeconomics: A Comparative Study of Instructional Methods," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(4), pages 315-329, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Emerson, Tisha L.N. & McGoldrick, KimMarie & Wagner, Jamie, 2023. "Decomposing a pre- post-test outcome to measure the effect of cooperative learning on student achievement," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    2. Kuhn, Christiane & Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, Olga & Brückner, Sebastian & Saas, Hannes, 2018. "A new video-based tool to enhance teaching economics," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 24-33.
    3. Diego Mendez-Carbajo, 2023. "The Effectiveness of Logical Distractors in an Online Module," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 49(1), pages 15-30, January.

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