Gender-Related Differential Item Functioning of 2015 Wassce Core Mathematics Results in Southern Ghana Using Logistic Regression Procedure

Abstract

Differential item functioning (DIF) occurs when individuals of the same ability level from separate groups have a different probability of answering an item correctly. This study was conducted in two parts: in the first part a real 2015 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) core mathematics test data were analyzed for uniform and nonuniform DIF using binary logistic regression (LR) procedure and in the second part, content analysis of items identified as DIF were classified under the levels of the cognitive domain by experts. Three research questions were formulated for the study. A sample of 4,285 male and 3,712 female candidates were selected from a population of 15,258 candidates who sat for the examination in 2015 from 20 selected schools in Southern Ghana. The instrument for the study was the 50 multiple-choice core mathematics items. The findings showed that there was 43 significant gender differential item functioning items of which 9 were uniform and 34 non-uniform. Also, the content analysis revealed that items that favoured males were mainly number and numeration, algebraic processes, probability and statistics and mensuration whiles plane geometry and coordinate geometry revealed DIF in favour of females. It was concluded that test items used were not free from gender DIF. It was recommended that DIF studies should be conducted by test developers in order to be review or exclude DIF items to enhance fairness in assessment.

Gender-Related Differential Item Functioning of the Waec May/June Mathematics Multiple-Choice Items in Owerri Education Zone 1

“…favoured male students. The results of the current study also supported the findings of Obiebi-Uyoyou (2023) in which he revealed that among the 24 items that functioned differentially in WASSCE multiple-choice questions in 2021, twelve (3,6,9,10,11,14,15,18,23, 24 and 25, representing 24% of all the items) favoured the female students, while the other twelve items (2,4,5,7,8,12,13,16,17,20, 21 and 22, representing 24% of all the items) favoured the male students. When test possesses DIF, it could bring about low achievement for a minority group in a subject matter and this can hamper the meaning of test outcomes and decision that is based on it for some groups, especially core subject like mathematics which is a compulsory criterion for further educational advancement.…”

“…The Zone is in the Eastern part of the State. It is made up of five (5) Local Government Areas which are; Ikeduru, Mbaitoli, Owerri Municipal, Owerri North and Owerri West. The Population of the study comprised all the SS3 students of the public secondary schools in Owerri Education Zone 1 of Imo State in the 2022/2023 academic session.…”