Validity Evidence for the "Computational Thinking Test" at the Upper Secondary Level Using Item Response Theory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis

• In Event: Educational Technology/Computational Thinking

Abstract

Far-reaching technological changes are shaping our society and the ways in which we work. A key 21st-century skill for taking advantage of those changes may be computational thinking (CT). Currently, the great variety in applied measurement instruments is a problem in CT research. This paper aims at providing validity evidence for the ‘Computational Thinking Test’ (CTt) of Román-González et al. (2017, 2018b). We use a sample of 202 upper-secondary students from Switzerland. Utilizing item response theory and confirmatory factor analysis, we demonstrate unidimensionality of CTt; DIF and mixed Rasch analyses may indicate the absence of discrimination and thus a fair test instrument. Furthermore, we present a proficiency level model for CTt that allows for a criterion-referenced interpretation of test scores.

Authors

• Josef Guggemos, University of St.Gallen

• Sabine Seufert, University of St. Gallen

• Marcos Román González, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia