Did Item Response Time on a Mathematics Assessment Change During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session Eight
  In Roundtable Session: Examining Effects of COVID-19 on Students' Assessment Experiences (Table 2)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about numerous changes in student and academic behaviors, including student test-taking behaviors. Specifically, this study explores to what extent there are differences in item response time during the pre-pandemic and pandemic school years. The study uses a sample of kindergarten through third-grade students’ responses on a computer-adaptive universal mathematics screener. The results suggest that students in the 2021-2022 school year responded more rapidly to assessment items than in 2018-2019. A quicker item response time was observed in grade-level, socioeconomic status (SES) level, and math domain category analyses. The results of this study can help determine if effort and self-efficacy led to this change in student behavior or if other confounding factors explain the difference.

Authors

• Jean Hampel, Istation
  Presenting Author

• Chalie Patarapichayatham, NWEA
  Non-Presenting Author

• Victoria N. Locke, Istation
  Non-Presenting Author