APPLICATION OF GENERALIZABILITY THEORY IN ESTIMATING ITEM DIFFICULTY OF THE WEST AFRICA EXAMINATION COUNCIL 2021 SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS IN EDO SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT, EDO STATE.

Abstract

This study investigated the application of Generalizability theory in estimating Item difficulty of the West Africa Examination Council 2021 Senior Secondary School Mathematics Multiple-Choice items in Edo South Senatorial District, Edo State. Three research questions were raised for the study. The study was a descriptive survey that adopted a random effect two-facet fully crossed  design for generalizability (G) and decision (D) studies. The population consisted six thousand, seven hundred and ninety-nine (6,799) Senior Secondary three (SS3) students and one hundred and two (102) teachers of mathematics in the one hundred and thirty -seven (137) public Secondary Schools in Edo South Senatorial District for the 2020/2021 academic session.  The sample size was 680 students and 68 teachers of mathematics, selected from 68 public Senior Secondary Schools three students. The instrument for data collection was fifty (50) multiple-choice items of the 2021 WAEC, Mathematics multiple-choice item examination. The validity and reliability of the instrument were part of the issues raised in the study. Data collected were analyzed using the software EduG version 6.1-e. The findings which emerged from the study revealed that the WAEC multiple-choice mathematics 2021/2022 Senior Secondary School examination items were valid and reliable, and the items were on average comparable in difficulty for all students in the examination.  Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that generalizability analysis should be carried out by researchers, policymakers in assessment, test developers, and examination bodies in estimating validity, reliability and item difficulty.