Biomedical subjects

K Sijtsma

Publications and source records attributed to K Sijtsma.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Psychometric properties of an instrument to measure the clinical learning environment.

OBJECTIVES: The clinical learning environment is an influential factor in work-based learning. Evaluation of this environment gives insight into the educational functioning of clinical departments. The Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) is an evaluation tool consisting of a validated questionnaire with 3 subscales. In this paper we further investigate the psychometric properties of the PHEEM. We set out to validate the 3 subscales and test the reliability of the PHEEM for both clerks (clinical medical students) and registrars (specialists in training). METHODS: Clerks and registrars from different hospitals and specialties filled out the PHEEM. To investigate the construct validity of the 3 subscales, we used an exploratory factor analysis followed by varimax rotation, and a cluster analysis known as Mokken scale analysis. We estimated the reliability of the questionnaire by means of variance components according to generalisability theory. RESULTS: A total of 256 clerks and 339 registrars filled out the questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis plus varimax rotation suggested a 1-dimensional scale. The Mokken scale analysis confirmed this result. The reliability analysis showed a reliable outcome for 1 department with 14 clerks or 11 registrars. For multiple departments 3 respondents combined with 10 departments provide a reliable outcome for both groups. DISCUSSION: The PHEEM is a questionnaire measuring 1 dimension instead of the hypothesised 3 dimensions. The sample size required to achieve a reliable outcome is feasible. The instrument can be used to evaluate both single and multiple departments for both clerks and registrars.

Clinical Clerkship↗

PubMed1998

Inductive Reasoning in Third Grade: Intervention Promises and Constraints

The results of two evaluation studies with respect to a programme for enhancing inductive reasoning ability of third grade students are presented. The programme is a classroom version of the German programme 'Denktraining für Kinder 1' (Cognitive training for children; Klauer, 1989). In the first formative evaluation study, two experimental groups with 30 students in total and one control group with 9 students were involved. Observations during the lessons, and teachers' reports showed that teachers were able to implement the programme. Both experimental groups significantly outperformed the control group on a posttest immediately after the programme and on a follow-up test 3 1/2 months later. Further analyses of the data revealed tentative evidence of the superiority of a direct teaching method. In the second summative evaluation study, the same programme was applied to a larger sample (experimental groups: n = 99 in total; and control groups: n = 232 in total) of third grade students. On the basis of Study 1, the programme instructions were slightly changed. The experimental groups scored significantly higher on a posttest three months after completion of the programme. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1996

A survey of theory and methods of invariant item ordering.

In many testing situations, ordering the items by difficulty is helpful in analysing the testing data; examples include intelligence testing, analysis of differential item functioning, person-fit analysis, and exploring hypotheses about the order in which cognitive operations are acquired by children. In each situation, interpretation and analysis are made easier if the items are ordered by difficulty in the same way for every individual taking the test, i.e. the item response functions do not cross. This is an invariant item ordering. In this paper we review a class of non-parametric unidimensional item response models in which the ordinal properties of items (and persons) can be studied, and survey both old and new methods for the investigation of invariant item ordering in empirical data sets. Our model formulation derives in particular from the work of Holland & Rosenbaum (1986), Junker (1993) and Mokken (1971). We survey methods based on the work of Mokken (1971), Rosenbaum (1987a, b), and Sijtsma & Meijer (1992), and we also discuss some new proposals for checking invariant item ordering. When violations are detected, these methods allow a rough assessment of where on the latent scale the item response functions cross. We also study similarities and differences between these various methods and provide guidelines for their use. Finally, the methods are illustrated with data from a developmental psychology experiment in which the ability to draw inferences about transitive relations is explored.

Child Development↗