Cart
Article
The Same or Not the Same: Equivalence as an Issue in Educational Research
Hi-Res PDFPurchase the full-text
- PDF/HTML,
figures/images,
references and tables,
(where available)
Abstract
In educational research, particularly in the sciences, a common research design calls for the establishment of a control and experimental group to determine the effectiveness of an intervention. As part of this design, it is often desirable to illustrate that the two groups were equivalent at the start of the intervention, based on measures such as standardized cognitive tests or student grades in prior courses. In this article we use SAT and ACT scores to illustrate a more robust way of testing equivalence. The method incorporates two one-sided t tests evaluating two null hypotheses, providing a stronger claim for equivalence than the standard method, which often does not address the possible problem of low statistical power. The two null hypotheses are based on the construction of an equivalence interval particular to the data, so the article also provides a rationale for and illustration of a procedure for constructing equivalence intervals. Our consideration of equivalence using this method also underscores the need to include sample sizes, standard deviations, and group means in published quantitative studies.
Keywords (Audience):
First-Year Undergraduate / GeneralKeywords (Domain):
Chemical Education ResearchKeywords (Feature):
Chemical Education ResearchKeywords (Pedagogy):
Testing / AssessmentKeywords (Subject):
Quantitative AnalysisCiting Articles
Citation data is made available by participants in CrossRef's Cited-by Linking service. For a more comprehensive list of citations to this article, users are encouraged to perform a search in SciFinder.
This article has been cited by 7 ACS Journal articles (5 most recent appear below).
Development of an Online, Postclass Question Method and Its Integration with Teaching Strategies
Alison B. FlynnJournal of Chemical Education2012 Article ASAPDevelopment of an Online, Postclass Question Method and Its Integration with Teaching Strategies
Alison B. FlynnJournal of Chemical Education2012 Article ASAPA unique method was devised integrating online postclass questions, clickers, a tablet, and active learning strategies in each class. This successful method connected in- and out-of-class learning, provided prompt, regular, and relevant feedback to ...
Target Inquiry: Helping Teachers Use a Research Experience To Transform Their Teaching Practices
Deborah G. Herrington, Karen Luxford, and Ellen J. YezierskiJournal of Chemical Education2012 Article ASAPTarget Inquiry: Helping Teachers Use a Research Experience To Transform Their Teaching Practices
Deborah G. Herrington, Karen Luxford, and Ellen J. YezierskiJournal of Chemical Education2012 Article ASAPResearch experiences for teachers (RET) programs report benefits to teachers and students. RET programs aim to give teachers authentic science research experiences based on the premise that these experiences will improve science instruction. Specifically, ...
Evidence for the Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based, Particulate-Level Instruction on Conceptions of the Particulate Nature of Matter
Chad A. Bridle and Ellen J. YezierskiJournal of Chemical Education2012 89 (2), 192-198Evidence for the Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based, Particulate-Level Instruction on Conceptions of the Particulate Nature of Matter
Chad A. Bridle and Ellen J. YezierskiJournal of Chemical Education2012 89 (2), 192-198Research has shown that students in traditional college-preparatory chemistry courses become masters of mathematical equations without an understanding of the conceptual basis for the mathematical relationships. This problem is rooted not only in what ...
Retention and Reform: An Evaluation of Peer-Led Team Learning
Scott E. LewisJournal of Chemical Education2011 Article ASAPRetention and Reform: An Evaluation of Peer-Led Team Learning
Scott E. LewisJournal of Chemical Education2011 Article ASAPThis study describes an evaluation of the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) reform model in first-semester general chemistry. PLTL was implemented in place of one-third of the available lecture time, maintaining the same amount of structured class time under ...
Comparing Two Tests of Formal Reasoning in a College Chemistry Context
Bo Jiang, Xiaoying Xu, Alicia Garcia, and Jennifer E. LewisJournal of Chemical Education2010 87 (12), 1430-1437Comparing Two Tests of Formal Reasoning in a College Chemistry Context
Bo Jiang, Xiaoying Xu, Alicia Garcia, and Jennifer E. LewisJournal of Chemical Education2010 87 (12), 1430-1437The Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT) and the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) are two of the instruments most widely used by science educators and researchers to measure students’ formal reasoning abilities. Based on Piaget’s cognitive ...
Full Text HTMLTools
-
Add to Favorites
-
Download Citation
-
Email a Colleague -
Permalink
Order Reprints
Rights & Permissions
Citation Alerts
History
- Received: August 03, 2009
ACS
Network
Facebook
Tweet This
CiteULike
Newsvine
Digg This
Delicious
