1

Measurement Project

Marianne Thayer

Department of Music, Towson University

MUED 311

Dr. McCabe

11/4/2021

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Abstract

In this paper, an analysis of student learning will be conducted based upon a lesson and

exam taken by fifteen college students in an upper-level music education research class. The

fifteen students were taught a brief lesson which was followed by a 10-question exam in order to

evaluate the structure of content creation’s effect on student learning. The lesson and tested

material revolved around the mechanics of bicycling, where student learning outcomes included

being able to identify parts of a bicycle, justify the benefits of riding, and to summarize the
process of movement when cycling. The data analysis revealed moderate to severe discrepancies

between questions 3, 7, and 10 across the exam, concluding that a reevaluation was to be had of

either the questions’ construction or the delivery of content pertaining to them.

Keywords: Student Learning, Analysis, Statistical Study,

Question Construction, Content Delivery.!"

Measurement Project

Introduction

In this statistical study, fifteen college students from Towson University in Towson,

Maryland were provided a lesson and exam on the topic of riding a bicycle. Consisting of a

collection of male, female, and non-binary testers, each of these students partaking in the study

major in the field of Music Education. The age range of the class stretches between 19-23 years

of age, and each individual is either in their third or fourth year of undergraduate study. Students

were provided with about a 20-minute-long lesson with the objectives to identify various parts of

a bicycle, justify the benefits of cycling, and to summarize the basic mechanics of bike riding.

Following the lesson, students were asked to complete a 10-question exam based off what had

been taught. The purpose of this measurement study was to analyze student learning by creating

a knowledge-based exam utilizing the multiple tiers of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The test consisted of

an array of question styles including multiple choice, true or false, short answer, and match the

answer.
 Table of Specifications

Riding a Bike: The Mechanics, Benefits, and “How To”.

Objecti N
ves o.

Knowledge Comprehension Application

Studen 4 1 Match the answer 1 Multiple
ts will Choice
be able
to
identif
y
variou
s parts
of a
Bicycl
e

Studen 3 1 multiple choice

ts will
be able
to
justify
the
benefit
s of
cyclin
g
Studen 3 1 T/F 1 short answer 1 multiple choice
ts will
be able
to
summa
rize
the
basic
mecha
nics of
riding
a bike

Description of Student Sample

This exam was taken by a collection of third- and fourth-year college students. In this

grouping, there were 15 students (ranging across a variety of different gender identities) who

took the test, each one in their undergraduate career studying Music Education.

Description of Exam Construction Procedures

While writing the exam, there was not initially a rhyme or reason to where I placed

certain questions and/or question styles within my table of specifications. I decided to construct a

somewhat balanced table, maintaining a question in each tier of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning:

Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. Though there

was a heavy amount of multiple choice on the table, I also wanted to make sure to include other

more thought-provoking questions styles by incorporating several short answers.

Descriptive Statistical Summary

Descriptive Statistics (N=10)

Mean 7.8 0.88

Variance

Median 8 0.94
Standard Deviation
Mode 8
 Range 4

Item Analysis

Item Item Difficulty Item Discrimination

Number

1 1/6 1

2 1/6 1

3 3/6 .6

4 4/6 .93

5 2/6 1

6 4/6 1

7 3/6 .33

8 5/6 .93

9 6/6 .66

10 6/6 .4

In the item analysis, we can see two variables being measured. The first variable

measures item difficulty, which means it is the percentage of students who answered the question

correctly. You can find this statistic by dividing the amount of people who answered the question
correctly by the total number of students that took the exam. The second variable measures item

discrimination, which differentiates the students who know the most and those students who

know the least regarding the exam content. This statistic can be found by dividing the class into

an upper half and a lower half. After this, the discrimination can then be found by subtracting the

amount of upper half students who answered correctly by the lower half students who answered

correctly. Divide this number by half of the total amount of students and the ending number will

be the item discrimination.

There were some moderate discrepancies between questions 3, 7, and 10. Thankfully all

my data remained positive, but we are still able to conclude that the lower half students had

difficulty with these three questions, especially question 7. Nine out of fifteen students answered

this question incorrectly, which translates to 60%!

The results from the item difficulty statistics range from .33-1. The higher the number,

the better every student did on the question where the lower the number, the worse each student

did. As previously mentioned, questions 3, 7, and 10 were the most commonly missed questions

on the exam, resulting in low item discrimination numbers. These questions should be considered

for revisions due to the fact that so many students missed the same ones, or maybe revisions to

the lesson may also be beneficial for the test takers.

Discussion and Revisions

After reevaluation, a lot of my questions were not very well structured, and students

seemed to struggle with the wording or answer choices provided. There were only four questions

that all students answered correctly, while the other six were answered incorrectly by at least one

student. Questions three, seven, and ten were the most frequently missed out of the provided. If I

were to alter the exam, I would firstly construct more sound questions for the three most

frequently missed from the ten provided. In terms of student learning, my data showed me that I
also had some flaws in how I delivered content and evaluated student understanding throughout

my lesson. For example, I don’t think I ever stressed or specified the correct answer to the

multiple-choice question asking about what part of the bicycle initiates movement. I think I did a

good job at engaging the testers through the lesson, but could be a little less frantic in the

delivery of information and strike some more important content pertaining to what is on the

exam.

Conclusion

Overall, I have grown a new respect for the craft of test developing. I had a lot of

discrepancies within my taught lesson in addition to some severe errors in my question creation,

including forgetting key elements in both the match the answer and true or false sections.

Though many of the evaluated students did well, only a handful received an A or a B, while only

one received a 100%. This would be understandable if the data were better balanced, but almost

every student got one of the three problem questions wrong, which reflects on either the

weakness of the questions, weakness of the answer choices (if applicable), weakness of content

delivery, or all of these aspects mentioned. I could have made a lot of my questions more

articulate, and the possible answers (again, if applicable) more differentiating. My true or false

questions as well as my match the answers were not in the correct format either, which was very

avoidable if I had just spent more time evaluating. Despite all of the errors across the study, I did

learn a lot, and for being the very first person to go and not having the chance to experience

another person’s lesson or take someone else’s test, I will give myself a little credit. I also think I

worked a little too hard on the aesthetics of my PowerPoint and layout of my lesson as opposed

to creating my exam.
Title of Lesson: Riding a Bicycle: Mechanics, Benefits, and "How To".
Length of Lesson: 15 minutes
Age level: Middle School, 11-15

Learning Outcomes/Objectives:
• Students will be able to identify various parts of a Bicycle
• After a brief discussion on why people ride bikes, students will be able to justify
the benefits of cycling
• Students will be able to summarize the basic mechanics of riding a bike

Materials Needed:
Student Personal Device
Student Engagement in the Learning Process:
• collaboratively filling in an anatomical diagram as a class.
• brainstorming in small groups and creating a list of the ecofriendly and physical
gains.
• debating what they feel is the most important principle of the action, and why.

Procedures:
1. Introduction to the topic
2. Learning Objective Review

3. Discuss Anatomy of the Bicycle alongside PowerPoint

4. Fill in diagram of a bicycle as a class

5. Break into small groups briefly to discuss the benefits of cycling

6. Review top three benefits with PowerPoint slides

7. Discuss how to learn to ride a bike

8. Review with slides how to put the mechanics learned initially into motion
9. Demonstrate
10. Class debate between what they feel the most important part of the bicycle is and
why

11. Closure and recap

12. Test

Assessment of Student Learning:

Multiple Choice, True or False, and Short Answer Quiz

Riding a Bike: Lesson Assessment

Match the Answer: Draw a line and match the part of the bike to its correct name.

a) Brake lever

b) Frame
 c) Crank

d) Tire

e) Chain

True or False: One of the first steps in learning to ride a bicycle is choosing a correct fitting
bike and helmet
a) True
b) False

Multiple Choice: When learning how to apply pressure to the bike pedals, a rider should
have one foot pushing down on a pedal while the other foot is _________.
A) hovering over the ground
B) touching the ground
C) doing the same on the opposite side
D) pushing off the ground

Short Answer: List three of the discussed steps in learning how to ride a bike. (Does not
have to be word-for-word)
1) ___________________________________________________________________
2) ___________________________________________________________________ 3)
___________________________________________________________________
Multiple Choice: The three primary benefits of cycling discussed in class are
_____________.
A) Maintains physical health, maintains emotional health, eco-friendliness
B) Eco-friendliness, maintains physical health, cost-efficiency
C) Cost efficiency, muscle build up, eco-friendliness
D) Maintains health, good hobby, eco-friendliness

Short Answer: Why is riding a bicycle cost-efficient?

______________________________________________________________________________
_______
Multiple Choice: What part of the bicycle initially moves to start the process of
momentum? A) Crank
B) Chain
C) Chainrings/Gears
D) Pedal

True or False: If you were to sit on a bike while not in motion, it would start to roll while
your feet are still on the ground.
A) True
B) False

Short Answer: Explain what happens when the brake lever of a bicycle is pulled while a
bike is in motion. (Two-part answer: what starts the process, and what is the result of the
process)

______________________________________________________________________________
_______

Multiple Choice: If most people were to commute with a bicycle instead of a car, there would be
less air pollution. However, if this occurred, _______________ would result.
A) Heightened gasoline prices
B) Worse attendance in inclement weather
C) Heightened risk of injury
D) All of the Above