Iranian Higher Education
Volume 16, Issue 1 (2024)
ihej 2024, 16(1): 110-130 |
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Karvandi Renani M, Khodaie E, Salehi K, Moghaddam Zadeh A. Assessment Limitations of University Entrance Exam in Intra-individual Abilities. ihej 2024; 16 (1) :110-130
URL: http://ihej.ir/article-1-2049-en.html
URL: http://ihej.ir/article-1-2049-en.html
1- Ph.D. Student in Measurement and Assessment, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran & Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2- Professor, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran ,khodaie@ut.ac.ir
3- Associate Professor, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2- Professor, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran ,
3- Associate Professor, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (1353 Views)
Objective: The national university entrance exam (Konkur) has been the most important exam and assessment conducted in Iran in its 60-year history (from 1968 until today). Therefore, it is crucial to understand what the test actually evaluates. . In this article, our goal is to examine the ergodicity assumption by examining the condition of homogeneity of the phenomenon in question in society. This is important because if the ergodicity assumption does not exist in the factor structure of the Kankor, these factors cannot be interpreted as intra-individual causes.
Method: The present research was designed as a cross-sectional study to investigate the hypothesis of ergodicity in the national exam of mathematics and physics. The statistical population included all subjects who participated in the mathematics and physics entrance exam in the year 2021, from which 12,699 people were randomly selected as a sample. The variables used in this study were the grades (in percentage) of the candidates in mathematics and physics courses, including Persian literature, Arabic, Islamic studies, English language, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. In the process of data analysis, exploratory factor analysis was initially used to identify the underlying factors of the entrance exam and indicators related to each factor. Subsequently, the fit of the obtained model was examined using structural equation modeling. Following this, hierarchical cluster analysis was employed to create five clusters of candidates participating in the entrance exam based on the percentages of different courses. Finally, the invariance of the factor structure obtained in these clusters was tested.
Conclusion: The absence of measurement invariance indicates the heterogeneity of the phenomenon among the subjects, which means that the Ergodicity assumption is not met. Therefore, the intra-individual interpretation of factors is not possible. This challenges the traditional interpretation of factors obtained from latent variable models as individual causes. It suggests that the obtained factors may be emergent properties of the population, but this claim faces challenges related to empirical justification and alignment with the purpose of using the entrance exam. In summary, discussing the technical aspects of the entrance exam without considering its theoretical and conceptual dimensions is analogous to "milking a sheep whose gender has not yet been determined": it may yield results, but the type of the product cannot be guaranteed.
Method: The present research was designed as a cross-sectional study to investigate the hypothesis of ergodicity in the national exam of mathematics and physics. The statistical population included all subjects who participated in the mathematics and physics entrance exam in the year 2021, from which 12,699 people were randomly selected as a sample. The variables used in this study were the grades (in percentage) of the candidates in mathematics and physics courses, including Persian literature, Arabic, Islamic studies, English language, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. In the process of data analysis, exploratory factor analysis was initially used to identify the underlying factors of the entrance exam and indicators related to each factor. Subsequently, the fit of the obtained model was examined using structural equation modeling. Following this, hierarchical cluster analysis was employed to create five clusters of candidates participating in the entrance exam based on the percentages of different courses. Finally, the invariance of the factor structure obtained in these clusters was tested.
Conclusion: The absence of measurement invariance indicates the heterogeneity of the phenomenon among the subjects, which means that the Ergodicity assumption is not met. Therefore, the intra-individual interpretation of factors is not possible. This challenges the traditional interpretation of factors obtained from latent variable models as individual causes. It suggests that the obtained factors may be emergent properties of the population, but this claim faces challenges related to empirical justification and alignment with the purpose of using the entrance exam. In summary, discussing the technical aspects of the entrance exam without considering its theoretical and conceptual dimensions is analogous to "milking a sheep whose gender has not yet been determined": it may yield results, but the type of the product cannot be guaranteed.
Keywords: Latent Variable Models, Causal Interpretation, Ergodicity, Measurement Invariance, Konkur, Intra-individual abilitie
Type of article: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2024/08/7 | Accepted: 2024/05/30 | ePublished ahead of print: 2024/10/15
Received: 2024/08/7 | Accepted: 2024/05/30 | ePublished ahead of print: 2024/10/15
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