http://www.benwilbrink.nl/projecten/spa_applet4.htm
Applet 4, The Ruling.
The guessing parameter is not yet available in applets 3 and higher.
The proper working of stratified sampling in the higher applets has not been checked for a long time now, be not amazed to get rubbish as results.
If you come across an applet that is not functioning properly, please mail me. It is not possible always to check all applets for unintended consequences of changes in classes. As this is a project in progress, such changes are made on a routine basis.
Applets are known to work correctly under:
Internet Explorer under Windows XP
Firefox 1.0.7 under Windows XP
Safari 1.2 under MacOSX 10.3.9
FireFox 1.5.0.4 under MacOSX 10.3.9
It might be the case that the applets do not open properly in browsers under Windows, or in browsers other than Safari under MacOS X: the applet field remains gray or blank.
In module chapters original applets have been replaced with screenshots; therefore applet problems should not hinder readers of the SPA project. Readers not able to use the applets in their browser, and yet willing to do so, may contact me, if preferences of the browser pertaining to Java do not seem to be the problem.
Information about Java, and applets:
http://java.sun.com
http://java.sun.com/applets/
MacOS X: There is a problem with Java versions 1.4 for browsers other than Safari. See http://javaplugin.sourceforge.net/Readme.html; http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Java/Conceptual/Java131Development/deploying/chapter_3_section_5.html; simile.mit.edu/repository/ misc/java_embedding_plugin/readme.rtf
MacOS X: Opera, version 8.5, produces 'java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError: Spa_BinomialApplet (Unsupported major.minor version 48.0)
MacOS X: Internet Explorer 5.2 for Mac, [preferences: enable Java on; cookies: never ask; web content: enable plug-ins on] produces 'java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError: Spa_BinomialApplet (Unsupported major.minor version 48.0)
Windows: Java Applet plug-in makes it possible for your computer (including Windows¨ XP, Me, NT, 2000, 98, or 95) to run applets in your browser. http://www.mcdonalds.com/search/help/plug_play/sunmicro.html
1 1a Generator 1o. 1oa advanced
2 2a Mastery Envelope
3 3a Predictor
4 4a Ruling
5 5a Learning
6 6a Expectations 6b. special 6.1a. advanced
7 7a Last Test
8 8a Strategy
9 9a True Utility
The applet might be out of order. If so, use the advanced applet 4
Threshold utility - in pass/fail scoring - is the extreme case where no compensation is allowed.
Full compensation is the case where all points earned will weigh equally. The reference point in the full compensation case is forced to be half the maximum score. Typically full compensation is formally valid only, except on the very first test to be taken, because points already earned or lost leave the factual room for compensation smaller than the formal rule suggests. Of course, in strategic modelling it is the factual utility that should be used, not the formal one.
The reference point is the critical score level on the test. In pass-fail scoring it would be the cutoff score.
If compensation is allowed, the unit might be any number of items. The item group is the number of items making a difference of one compensating point. The working is not symmetrical; to earn a negative point if the group is two, it is sufficient to score one item below the reference, to earn a positive compensation point one must get at least two additional items correct. Grading is a common way way of grouping scores.
Compensate negative is the number of points - not items! - short of the reference score that the student is allowed to compensate by higher points on later tests. This factual level of compensation allowed may differ - will most of the time differ - from the level of negative compensation that formally is available on this test. If the test is the last test (LT) to be taken, positive compensation earned earlier will be used to lower the reference score on the last test as far as its formal level of negative compensation allows, making it a lot easier to pass the LT.
Compensate positive is the number of points - not items! - above the reference point that the student is allowed to compensate by equally lower points on later tests. The factual number of points to be earned by this student may be lower than the number formally available on this test.
The vertical scale should be consistently used. The convention used in the model is to assign the reference point utility one. Other conventions are possible, the advanced applet might offer some. Positive compensation points therefore result in the vertical scale being longer than one.
The parameters in the menu should allow the modelling of almost all situations one might encounter in educational assessment. In the literature however other utility functions have been used, the advanced applet will allow to use and research them.
Mail your opinion, suggestions, critique, experience on/with the SPA
http://www.benwilbrink.nl/projecten/spa_applet4.htm