Faculty

In addition to basic and advanced statistical techniques, research methodology, and measurement theory, I am keenly interested in how assessment information is understood and used.  My research focuses on understanding and modeling students' response processes and the effects of teachers' and others' beliefs on tests administration, scoring, and use.

Specialty Courses

Emenogu, B.C., Falenchuk, O., & Childs, R.A. (in press).  The effect of missing data on Mantel-Haenszel DIF detection.  Alberta Journal of Educational Research.

Childs, R.A., & Fung, L. (2009).  "The first year they cried":  How teachers address test stress.  Canadian journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 64, [Available on-line:  http://www.umanitoba.ca/publications/cjeap]

Childs, R.A. & Umezawa, L. (2209). When the teacher is the test proctor.  Canadian Journal of Education, 32, 618-651. [Available on-line: http//www.csse.ca/CJE]

Childs, R.A., & Ram, A., & Xu, Y. (2009).  Combining dual scaling with semi-structured interviews to interpret rating differences.  Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 14(11). [Available on-line: http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=14&n=11]

Penfield, R. D., Alvarez, K., & Childs, R. A. (2009). An NCME Instructional Module on using differential step functioning to refine the analysis of DIF in polytomous items. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practices.

Dénommé, F., & Childs, R. A. (in press). Does Ontario have an achievement gap?: The challenge of comparing the performance of students in French- and English-language schools on national and international assessments. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy.

Casey, C. E., & Childs, R. A. (2008). Teacher education program admission criteria and what beginning teachers need to know to be successful teachers. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 67. [Available on-line: http://www.umanitoba.ca/publications/cjeap]

Demeris, H., Childs, R., & Jordan, A. (2007). The impact of students with disabilities included in third grade classrooms on the large-scale achievement scores of their non-identified peers. Canadian Journal of Education, 30, 609-627.

Childs, R. A., Jaciw, A. P., & Saunders, K. (2007). Scoring guide alignment: Combining scorer judgments with item parameter estimates to set cut points. International Journal of Testing, 7, 243-254.

Childs, R. A., Dunn, J. L., van Barneveld, C., & Jaciw, A. P. (2007). Does it matter if you “kill” the patient or order too many tests? Scoring alternatives for a test of clinical reasoning skills. International Journal of Testing, 7, 127-139.

Childs, R. A., & Bower, B. (2006). Teacher testing and certification: An historical perspective from Ontario . Journal of Educational Administration and History, 38, 279-291.

Childs, R. A., Emenogu, B. C., Falenchuk, O., Herbert, M., & Xu, Y. (2005). Beyond viability: Are instructionally supportive accountability tests an advisable assessment option? (Commentary on “Instructionally Supportive Accountability Tests in Science: A Viable Assessment Option?”). Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives, 3, 191-194.

Emenogu, B. C., & Childs, R. A. (2005). Curriculum, translation, and differential functioning of geometry items. Canadian Journal of Education, 28, 123-142. [Available on-line: http://www.csse.ca/CJE/Articles/CJE28-1-2.htm]

Mu, M., & Childs, R. A. (2005). What parents know and believe about large-scale assessments. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 37. [Available on-line: http://www.umanitoba.ca/publications/cjeap]

Professional Affiliations