ASSESSMENT ANALYTICS OF DIFFERENTIAL ITEM FUNCTIONING IN BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS OF THE 2022 BASIC EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION IN ZONE C, BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the Differential Item Functioning (DIF) of multiple-choice items in the Basic Science and Technology Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Zone C of Benue State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by persistent performance disparities across demographic groups, which raised concerns about the fairness and validity of the assessment. Although several factors may influence assessment fairness, this study focused specifically on the assessment instrument. Three research questions guided the study. An ex-post facto research design was adopted. The population comprised 16,062 candidates, from which a sample of 3,142 students was purposively selected. The instrument for data collection consisted of students' response sheets containing answers to the 60 multiple-choice items of the 2022 BECE Basic Science and Technology examination. The validity and reliability of the instrument were ensured through the examination body's established quality assurance procedures; therefore, no additional validation was conducted by the researchers. Data were analysed using the Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel (CMH) method in JMetrik. The findings revealed that gender-based DIF was modest, with 9 items (15%) exhibiting significant bias. Location-based DIF was the most pronounced, with 42 items (70%) showing significant bias, while school-type DIF was also substantial, with 33 items (55%) exhibiting significant bias. The study concluded that although gender fairness was generally adequate, substantial location- and school type-related bias threatens the validity and fairness of the examination. It was therefore recommended that the Benue State Examinations Board institutionalize routine DIF analysis as part of its post-examination review process to identify and eliminate biased items, while the Federal and Benue State Ministries of Education should address structural educational inequalities across school locations to promote equitable assessment outcomes.