Educational researchers may answer to a wide variety of stakeholders (state- or school-level administrators, teachers, parents, students) all of whom are highly invested in the outcomes. This makes it critically important that any tests or scales used are demonstrably reliable and valid for their intended purpose. With advanced training in psychometric methods, Vector Psychometric Group (VPG) is able to offer an understanding of the historical perspective of statistics useful in educational research, an unrivaled level of sophistication in the application of current methodologies, and insight into the future of educational statistics. Our expertise has allowed clients to construct high-quality assessments via the rigorous application of psychometric methods. VPG is also extremely familiar with the complexities that may accompany educational data (multiple groups, levels of nesting, timed assessments, etc.) and can help you ensure that the results you report are statistically sound and accurate.
Psychometrics
Psychometrics broadly refers to an area of study focused on mathematical and statistical models to relate observable data to unobservable constructs; this includes stereotypical “psychological” constructs, such as depression, but psychometric techniques may be used to improve the measurement of any unobservable concept, including mathematical ability, teacher satisfaction, or mastery/non-mastery of milestone topics. VPG offers a full range of psychometric consulting services, from qualitative work to assist in the early stages of academic test/scale creation to advanced quantitative analyses, such as factor analysis and item response theory, to supply evidence that your measure is providing reliable scores and valid inferences/uses suitable for informing high-stakes decisions.
Click here for more details on VPG’s psychometric consulting services.
Behavioral Analytics
In addition to the specialized psychometric services we supply, VPG offers more general statistical consulting. We are able to provide expert analysis using a wide range of statistical techniques for a large variety of data sources, such as large-scale international educational testing data, hierarchical data (e.g., students nested within teacher), and longitudinal data following children over time.
Click here for details on VPG’s general data analysis consulting services.
In addition to our specialized statistical services for educational researchers, VPG also offers:
- Secure, web-based data collection services
- General literature reviews
- Reports consolidating previous work
- Replication of findings
- Statistical forensics
- 3rd party QC