Terry A. Ackerman

• Professor and Chair
• Educational Research Methodology, UNCG
• taackerm@uncg.edu
• (336) 334-3474
• 212 Curry Building
• http://www.uncg.edu/erm/terry.htm

My research has focused on practical applications of item response theory (IRT). These include computerized adaptive testing, test construction, equating, differential item/test functioning and ability estimation. More recently I have been concentrating on extending the concepts of unidimensional IRT to the multidimensional case. Whether it is intended or not many standardized tests measure multiple skills. If this is the case, then such things has score interpretation, differential item/test functioning and the degree to which alternate forms are truly parallel need to be examined. To examine items and tests from a multidimensional perspective I have developed a series of graphical techniques that help the testing practitioner better understand the various composites of skills their items and tests are measuring. One of my goals is to help testing practitioners realize that testing should be a cyclical process. After a test is administered and the student performance is analyzed at both the item and test level, this information needs to be recycled back into the test development process to cross validate and improve the assessment. There has to be a working dialogue established between the item writers, the test editors and the psychometricians.