Title

A Semantic–Psychometric Integration Framework (SPIF) for Questionnaire Optimisation

Presenters

Dr. Gulbakhyt Sultanova, Aikorkem Zhapparova and Saltanat Ergasheva, Center for Pedagogical Measurements, Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, Kazakhstan

Abstract

Holistic assessment encompasses both cognitive and non-cognitive aspects of student development. Because non-cognitive skills are typically assessed using multi-item questionnaires, these instruments can become lengthy, increasing respondent burden and potentially reducing data quality. Developing efficient questionnaires that preserve construct validity while minimizing the number of items is therefore an important methodological challenge in educational assessment.

This webinar introduces the Semantic–Psychometric Integration Framework (SPIF), a novel methodology that reconceptualises questionnaire optimisation as an evidence integration process rather than a purely statistical exercise. The framework combines conceptual foundations (construct definitions and expert consensus), semantic analysis using natural language processing, semantic embeddings, large language models, and psychometric evaluation based on reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and Item Response Theory. Together, these complementary perspectives inform transparent decisions to retain, revise, merge, or remove questionnaire items.

The methodology is illustrated through a case study involving a 180-item questionnaire measuring 26 non-cognitive skills, based on approximately 28,000 questionnaire responses collected from secondary school students across three survey administrations. The webinar proposes a transferable methodological framework for AI-assisted educational assessment design. Participants will gain an understanding of how conceptual, semantic, and psychometric evidence can be integrated within a unified optimisation process to develop efficient educational measurement instruments while preserving construct validity and measurement quality. The webinar concludes by discussing the implications of SPIF for educational measurement.

Webinar title:
Presenters: Stuart Shaw and Eleanor Andressen 
Abstract:
Title and abstract will be added by August 4th

Title
Research On Extramural English Engagement andReflections from My PhD Journey

Abstract
In this webinar, I will present findings from fourstudies that guide my dissertation. In these studies, we investigated therelationship between Extramural English engagement and Swedish ScholasticAptitude Test (SweSAT) performance in specifically verbal subtests–Swedish andEnglish. The goal of this research is to understand SweSAT test-takers and toevaluate how Extramural English engagement is measured.

The data collected consist of first-time SweSATtest-takers from the spring administrations of 2023 and 2025. The researchdesign is cross-sectional, and the results show a positive relationship betweencertain Extramural English engagement activities and SweSAT performance, andthat Extramural English engagement emerged as a significant mediator of therelationship between gender and English reading comprehension. This mediationeffect was not significant for Swedish reading comprehension. 

One segment of my presentation will be a reflection onmy PhD journey. I will address challenges I have encountered and lessons that Ilearned from colleagues and from mistakes. I also find it important to talkabout life after the PhD: what are the options, and how I have prepared for it.

 Short Bio
I am a doctoral student in Educational Measurement atthe Department of Applied Educational Science at Umeå University. My researchinterests are mainly focused on the role of Extramural English (EE) in relationto its measurement and to SweSAT verbal items and gender-related differences.

Anyrelevant references
Neagu, T., Eklöf, H., Laukaityte, I., & Wedman, J.(2025). Reading, watching and gaming: exploring the relationships betweenextramural English activities and academic L2 English reading comprehension ina Swedish university admissions test context. Education Inquiry, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2025.2556572 

Neagu, T., & Laukaityte, I. (2025). Gender-relateddifferential item functioning in SweSAT verbal subtests: the role of extramuralEnglish activities in first and foreign language performance. Frontiers inEducation, 10:1656734. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1656734

Webinar title:
Presenters: Sam Passeport and Mattieu Hausman
Abstract:
Title and abstract will be added by September 10th