Teaching

Since starting at UD, I have developed and taught several courses in measurement and quantitative methods. I use primarily project-based course assessments and am happy to share my experience with this approach with anyone teaching in similar areas.

EDUC 865: Measurement Theory

This is an introductory course in educational and psychological measurement. I cover constructs, item-writing, exploratory factor analysis, and classical test theory, then conclude the course with an introduction to Rasch and Item Response Theory models for dichotomous items. I developed this course from scratch and teach it every year.

EDUC 872: Advanced Measurement (Item Response Theory)

This course builds on EDUC 865, with students learning IRT in depth. Students leave this course with an understanding of a variety of unidimensional and multidimensional IRT models; a deeper appreciation for the distinction between the Rasch and IRT traditions; a high-level understanding of model estimation issues; and hands-on experience with model fitting and related analysis such as differential item functioning. I developed this course from scratch and teach it every other year.

EDUC 812: Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling

This course introduces students to structural equation modeling. We cover path models, factor analysis, structural regression models, mediation, moderation, multiple-group models, bootstrap methods, estimation and identification, and growth models. I redeveloped the assessments for this course and continue to teach it on a rotating basis with my colleague Ethan McCormick.

Experimental Course on Survey Methodology

During my first semester at UD, I developed a survey methodology course taught through the lens of the APA, AERA and NCME Joint Standards’ conception of validity. This course covered survey development in depth, from construct development and definition through analysis of pilot data. I carried lessons from teaching this course forward into developing EDUC 865, and intend to develop this course further as scheduling allows for it to be taught again.