IMPACT OF ITEM PARAMETERS AND SCORING MODELS ON ECONOMICS STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

The study investigated the impact of item parameters and scoring models on economics students’ achievement in senior secondary schools in Plateau State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two null (Ho) hypotheses guided the study. The study utilized factorial research design (FRD) and a sample size of 1,260 (760 males and 500 female) SSII students from 15 Secondary Schools in in Plateau State, Nigeria, using multi-stage stratified random sampling technique. The instrument is achievement tests based on 1-PL and 2-PL, Parameter Logistic Model Economics Achievement Test (PLMEAT) contained 30 items for SS2 students and, it was validated which yielded 0.83 validity index, and 0.83 reliability index. Data generated was analyses using descriptive statistic/regression coefficients, mean and standard deviation for answering research questions while One-Way ANOVA was used for testing hypotheses at the 95% confidence level of significant, and the findings revealed that there is a significant impact of psychometric properties on students Economics achievement tests developed based on 1-PL and 2-PL models, and there is a there is no significant difference between male and female students Economics achievement mean scores developed based on 1-PL, 2-PL, dichotomous and polytomous scoring models. The study recommended that educational authorities in Plateau State adopt IRT for scoring student assessments. IRT provides a sophisticated framework that takes into account the difficulty, discrimination, and guessing parameters of test items, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of student performance and IRT-based scoring models, educators can ensure that assessments are more reflective of students' true abilities, reducing biases and enhancing the overall validity of the tests.