Michael Rodriguez, PhD - University of Minnesota

Trends in Graduate Admissions Measures (March 2013) (44 min.) Learning Objectives: 1. Explain the need for comparable measures. 2. Describe validity assessment of accountability measures. 3. Discuss how professional standards are used in accountability contexts. ABSTRACT: Measurement is firmly placed in systems of teaching and learning, and to support those activities, plays a critical role in selection, particularly in higher education. The history of graduate admissions will be reviewed briefly, with a focus on the intended claims of such measures and how they have changed over time. This introductory-level presentation will introduce attempts to measure new constructs and employ new tools to support admissions decisions. BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Rodriguez received his PhD from Michigan State University in Educational Measurement in 1999. He is coordinator of the Quantitative Methods in Education program in the College of Education & Human Development and director of the Office of Research Consultation and Services. He is a member of the University Academy of Distinguished Teachers. He currently chairs the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Technical Advisory Committee with ETS. He focuses his research on reliability theory, item writing and test design, psychometric meta-analysis and multi-level modeling.