The Characteristics of High-Risk Tryout Test Items for Indonesian Elementary Schools Students

Abstract

One of the measurement forms applied in the educational field to know students' ability is a high-risk tryout test. This research examined the quality of Mathematics tryout test questions used by Indonesian teachers to prepare for the national examination as a high-risk examination. This study used a quantitative approach and analyzed based on item response theory to determine the fitness of the model and item eligibility. The data used were the answers of elementary school students who took the 2016 national examination tryout of mathematics subject with the total number of 924 students from 20 elementary schools in Indonesia. The mathematics subject consisting of 40 questions, which are adjusted to the blueprint of elementary school national examination, was chosen. The results obtained indicate that the mathematics tryout test items meet the assumptions of uni-dimension, local independence, and parameter invariance items. The logistic parameter model used was the 2-PL model, with 31 out of 40 eligible items of questions. The novelty of this research is the use of item response theory to analyze the quality of an instrument. The aim of the use of item response theory is to avoid examinee sample dependent and item sample dependent. The educational stakeholders can use this research as a reflection in preparing high-risk examination.