Abstract

AN INTRODUCTION TO A PARADIGM SHIFT FROM CLASSICALTEST THEORY (CTT) TO ITEM RESPONSE THEORY (IRT).

1Oloda F.S. Smart (Ph.D),2Oluwaniyi Steve Dele (Ph.D) and 3Fakinlede Gabriel Olugbenga (Ph.D)

---

Abstract There are two currently popular statistical frameworks in the psychometric and measurement community to solve measurement problems. They are classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT), the CTT which has sustained psychological measurement for over hundred years is characterized with many problems leading to lack of objectivity in the process of measurement. The emergence of item response theory (IRT) was to find solution to these problems so as to lay a solid foundation for the enhancement of the scientific nature of educational measurement in order to ascertain validity in measurement and improvement in making valid decisions based on test results. This paper described and also compared the classical test theory and item response theory and models associated with them. Keywords: Latent traits, classical test theory, item response theory, and psychological measurement

PDF