Publications 2009
 



Rossalina Latcheva

Cognitive Interviewing and Factor-Analytic Techniques: a Mixed Method Approach to Validity of Survey Items Measuring National Identity

This paper explores the possibilities of method triangulation between two methodological approaches for assessing the validity performance of survey items: cognitive interviewing and factor analytic techniques. Although their means of approaching validity differ, both methods attempt to prove whether a measure corresponds to a theoretical (latent) concept (e.g. patriotism versus nationalism), i.e. both are concerned with the question whether an indicator measures what it is supposed to measure. Based on two representative samples for Austria (data gathered within the framework of the International Social Survey Program on National Identity in 1995 and 2003) and 18 cognitive interviews conducted between 2003 and 2005, the paper shows the considerable advantages of using a multi-method approach for ensuring the quality of survey items. On the one hand, we apply exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in order to identify poorly performing indicators with regard to validity and reliability. On the other hand, the analysis of the cognitive interviews reveals the substantial sources of response error. Results show that to a large extent, respondents do not understand the items that have been defined to measure national identification and related concepts in Austria the way intended by the drafting group of this ISSP Module, a fact that has considerable implications on the scales’ predictive power.
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Stefan Vogtenhuber

The Benefits of VET

This contribution focuses on the returns to investment in initial and continuing education and training (IVET and CVET). At the centre of this country report there are the monetary effects of VET, which also includes the effects on the economic efficiency and productivity gains for companies. Most existing research projects and publications look at the individual labour market outcomes of education and training, whereas findings about productivity effects, contributions to economic growth, as well as effects on the entire society are rare.
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Lorenz Lassnigg

Ökonomisierung des Lernens und Vertreibung der Bildung? "Lifelong Learning" und "evidence-based Policy und Practice"

Der vorliegende Beitrag versucht, den theoretischen Gehalt des Begriffs "Lifelong Learning (LLL)" im Kontext der neuen Ansprüche von "evidence-based Policy und Practice" auszuloten. Erstens wird die Bedeutung der LLL-Begrifflichkeit analysiert und ihre Komplexität herausgearbeitet. Dabei wird vorgeschlagen, die LLL-Begrifflichkeit nicht als Theorie, sondern als Politik-Paradigma zu verstehen, zu dem es verschiedene theoretische Perspektiven gibt. Zweitens werden die methodologischen Entwicklungen im Bereich der evidence-based Policy und Practice diskutiert und die Theorieabhängigkeit der "Evidenzen" demonstriert.
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Peter M. Steiner, Angela Wroblewski, Thomas D. Cook

Randomized experiments and quasi-experimental designs in educational research

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Lorenz Lassnigg, Stefan Vogtenhuber

Bildungsstatistische Kennzahlen

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Lorenz Lassnigg, Helene Babel, Elke Gruber, Jörg Markowitsch (Hrsg.)

Öffnung von Arbeitsmärkten und Bildungssystemen. Beiträge zur Berufsbildungsforschung

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Christiane Atzmüller, Peter M. Steiner

Experimental Vignette Studies in Survey Research

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