Validation of data using RASCH analysis in a tool measuring changes in critical thinking in nursing students

Jacob, ER; Duffield, C; Jacob, AM

Validation of data using RASCH analysis in a tool measuring changes in critical thinking in nursing students

Jacob, ER Duffield, C

Jacob, AM

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Nurse Education Today, 2019, 76 pp. 196 - 199
Issue Date:: 2019-05-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Jacob, ER	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Duffield, C https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6534-8743	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Jacob, AM	en_US
dc.date.available	2019-02-22	en_US
dc.date.issued	2019-05-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Nurse Education Today, 2019, 76 pp. 196 - 199	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0260-6917	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/135788
dc.description.abstract	© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Background: In Australia there is no national examination to assess student competency with respect to critical thinking skills on graduation from undergraduate registered nurse program. Objectives: To describe the use of Rasch analysis for the validation of a tool that measures critical thinking in nursing students in Australia. Design: A cross sectional survey was used to assess students’ critical thinking. Settings: One Australian university. Participants: Seventy-four first year and third year nursing students participated in the project. Methods: Nursing students at one university were requested to undertake a multiple choice question survey to determine their level of critical thinking. The survey tool was validated using Rasch analysis software. Results: Rasch analysis enabled identification of the difficulty of each question, enabling the assessment to identify difference between students and for each student cohort. The use of Rasch analysis demonstrated marked differences in the students’ critical thinking abilities, showing higher levels of critical thinking for third year students with greater ability to answer the more difficult questions. Conclusion: Rasch analysis enables the matching of test questions to the cognitive skill level of students, and is a useful tool for validating multiple choice questionnaires. Use of this method of analysis can provide a robust assessment in which questions are matched to the level of the learner and enable differentiation between high and low achieving students.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Nurse Education Today	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.nedt.2019.02.012	en_US
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject.classification	Nursing	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Models, Statistical	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cohort Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Thinking	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Nursing Education Research	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Students, Nursing	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires	en_US
dc.title	Validation of data using RASCH analysis in a tool measuring changes in critical thinking in nursing students	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	76	en_US
utslib.for	1301 Education Systems	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
utslib.for	1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Nursing
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	76	en_US

Abstract:

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Background: In Australia there is no national examination to assess student competency with respect to critical thinking skills on graduation from undergraduate registered nurse program. Objectives: To describe the use of Rasch analysis for the validation of a tool that measures critical thinking in nursing students in Australia. Design: A cross sectional survey was used to assess students’ critical thinking. Settings: One Australian university. Participants: Seventy-four first year and third year nursing students participated in the project. Methods: Nursing students at one university were requested to undertake a multiple choice question survey to determine their level of critical thinking. The survey tool was validated using Rasch analysis software. Results: Rasch analysis enabled identification of the difficulty of each question, enabling the assessment to identify difference between students and for each student cohort. The use of Rasch analysis demonstrated marked differences in the students’ critical thinking abilities, showing higher levels of critical thinking for third year students with greater ability to answer the more difficult questions. Conclusion: Rasch analysis enables the matching of test questions to the cognitive skill level of students, and is a useful tool for validating multiple choice questionnaires. Use of this method of analysis can provide a robust assessment in which questions are matched to the level of the learner and enable differentiation between high and low achieving students.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/135788