Item discrimination this analytical method refers to

Item Discrimination: This analytical method refers to the way a test item differentiates
learners who know the content being tested from those who do not (University of Washington,
n.d.). The item discrimination index compares each student’s performance on a test item with the
overall test performance. This is an ideal method for analysis because if more discrimination is
found, then the test items are considered more reliable because it proves that students either
know or do not know the information being tested over (McDonald, 2018). Data gathered from
this analysis can then be utilized by the course instructor to identify areas where students
demonstrate misunderstanding of the course content and then focus on those areas for

improvement during the course’s next cohort. The goal should always be to improve the course
for future students.
C3a. Assessment Improvement
Total class scores of the summative objective assessment can provide important
information regarding overall success of the course. They can provide evidence of the learner’s
knowledge and comprehension of the course module content, how effective the instructor’s
teaching strategies were, how obtainable the course objectives were, and if revisions or
modifications to module content are needed.
Short Term: Using the overall objective assessment results, the instructor will analyze
the learners’ comprehension of content as well as their overall success in this assessment,
determine if the assignment meets objectives set for the module, determine the clarity of
assessment instructions, determine the students’ ability to perform this task, and review the
students’ ability to accurately answer the assessment questions. The instructor(s) will review the
student assessments and try to find trends within the class’s results. This short-term improvement
phase is primarily meant to analyze the performances of both the students and the instructors. In
special circumstances, if the majority of the class performed poorly on exam items, the
educator(s) will address this concern immediately and consider possibly giving credit for
additional answers or throw out the question entirely.
Long Term: The assessment improvement process is ongoing. Because of this idea,
instructors will continuously review exam data and as well as students’ overall performance in
class. This summative objective 10-item assessment should indicate overall student
comprehension of course module materials, applied knowledge on exam questions, development
of critical thinking skills, the effectiveness of the instructor’s teaching strategies, validity of
testing measures, adequacy of time allotment, and how the exam aligns with course module
objectives. The curriculum committee will intermittently review the assessment content and
determine if any revisions and/or are needed in the next session of this course.