General Ability, English and Mathematics (GEM) Tests
Staffing
P. Griffin, A. Mak, N. Awwal, A. Thomas and M. Pavlovic
Summary
Tests have been designed to measure General Ability, English and Mathematics (GEM) tests. They are administered early in March each year and initially to students in years 4, 5 and 6, in colleges run by the North Shore Development and Coaching Centre based in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Each year the tests attract a number of students not enrolled in the North Shore Development and Coaching Centre. The aim of the tests are to monitor student progress in the three subject areas. The multiple choice format items in the tests are designed and scored by the Assessment Research Centre. Reports containing overall individual performance in each subject is given to each participant after the competition, including basic statistics on inter-student and intra-student comparisons. Constructive feedback is also given to the student.
A calibrated Item Bank is currently being constructed for this testing program, which has been in operation since 1999. All items used in the testing program are being systematically coded, categorised and calibrated onto the one continuum to facilitate a strategic and informed approach to test construction. The responses for each item are also being combined to provide a complete history of item usage for the calibration process. This Item Bank will be completed early in 2006.
Tests for March 2006 have already been constructed and are undergoing internal review. IRT analysis of prior tests revealed the need to increase the difficulty of the items used previously, and as a consequence over 50% of the items on the 2006 tests are new.
Funding SourceNorth Shore Development and Coaching Centre