A Study of Differential Item Functioning in Ekiti State Unified Mathematics Examination for Senior Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study was designed to find out if differentially functioning items were used in Ekiti State Unified Mathematics Examination (ESUME) and also to confirm if the test items function in different ways for different groups of test takers. A sample of 400 students selected using the stratified and combined sampling techniques was involved in the study. A 3-20 item multiple choice objective mathematics test items selected from Ekiti State Unified Mathematics Examination for 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 academic sessions were used as instrument of data collection. One research question was raised and one research hypothesis was generated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The results show closeness in the means and standard deviations of the scores of the groups of testees indicating that the testees are of comparable ability levels. It can be concluded that the items of ESUME did not function differentially among the testees on the basis of gender, age, parental qualifications and location. It is recommended that differential item functioning procedure should be carried out on all items of the various subject examinations by experts, examination bodies and Ministry of Education.