The Diagnostic Teacher Assessment in Mathematics and Science (DTAMS) was developed to measure the content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of middle-school teachers. Its reliability and validity were initially established by reviewing national standards for content and use of expert question writing teams and reviewers. DTAMS was administered to approximately 1,600 middle-school mathematics teachers in 17 states. Subsequent analyses using structural equation modeling and item response theory were performed as part of a multistage validation process. This evaluation contributes to the body of work describing the reliability and validity of these assessments. The results of this study confirm trends in middle-school mathematics teacher preparation and certification and help explain middle-school student mathematics achievement levels. 180 Volume 110 (4)
While participating in single-and mixed-gender science and mathematics classes, ninth-grade urban high school students' (n = 118) academic self-concept, self-efficacy, and school climate perceptions were examined. Their perceptions were measured quantitatively from the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics (modified for Science) Attitude and the Patterns of Adaptive Learning scales. Five factors arose from each instrument: confidence/efficacy, utility, instruction, climate, and anxiety/performance avoidance. Comparative factor analysis of the science-modified Fennema-Sherman Scale showed similar constructs within the mathematics scale. Our findings are congruent with reports concerning single-gender classrooms that find few significant differences in students' attitudes toward science and mathematics, or classroom climate, with regard to single-gender classes. Lastly, our results supported three structural equation models for the hypothesized factors from each instrument. 66 Volume 112 (2)
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