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This thesis explores the challenges of developing diagnostic assessments to measure skills and competencies in an education system where assessments are rooted in a rote-learning culture. The research in this thesis applied the work of Marsh and Hau’s 2007 research that issued a challenge to researchers that their methodology should be adopted in the analysis of substantive data. This challenge was applied to a ‘real’ (substantive) data set from a newly created diagnostic assessment in India, a country rooted in rote learning. The methodology describes a multi-stage process for exploratory factor analysis alongside practical cautions around limited use of rules-of-thumb, and considerations of missing data and interpretation of causality. The Marsh and Hau (2007) assertion is that the “polarization of substantive and methodological approaches to research and research training” must be reduced. The assessment at the centre of the research in this thesis was conceived, designed, developed and marketed by bringing together assessment implementors – experts, assessment developers, teachers, school leaders and examination board reviewers. This thesis concludes that the Marsh and Hau (2007) methodology is useful in a substantive research setting but argues that there is further polarisation to consider – that between researchers (methodological or substantive) and implementors of educational assessments. |
