Another Rasch Model Workshop with Prof Bond

The Accounting Research Institute (ARI) is greatly honored to host another Rasch Model workshop with Professor Trevor Bond. The one-day workshop was attended mainly by Prof Bond's Rasch Model facebook group in Malaysia. Basically this group comprises researchers who are opting to use rasch model analysis to analyse their data. They probably have posted their questions and queries on the facebook before the workshop. Three researchers from ARI participated in the workshop discussion. Professor Bond will be leaving for Australia early tomorrow morning. Thank you sir.

Rasch Model Workshop With Prof Bond

Day 3 The basic tenet of Rasch model posits that the probability of a specified response (e.g. right/wrong answer) is modeled as a function of person and item parameters. Specifically, in the simple Rasch model, the probability of a correct response is modeled as a logistic function of the difference between the person and item parameter. In the morning, participants were exposed to the concepts of "dochotomous" and "polytomous" measures.

As illustrated by Wikipedia, for dichotomous data such as right/wrong answers, by definition, the location of an item on a scale corresponds with the person location at which there is a 0.5 probability of a correct response to the question. The Polytomous Rasch Model is a measurement model that has potential application in any context in which the objective is to measure a trait or ability through a process in which responses to items are scored with successive integers. For example, the model is applicable to the use of Likert scales, rating scales, and to educational assessment items for which successively higher integer scores are intended to indicate increasing levels of competence or attainment. In the afternoon, participants shared their own research instruments with Prof Bond.

Rasch Model Workshop With Prof Bond

Day Two

On the second day of the workshop, participants were further exposed to the basic framework for measurement: Principles of Fit and Error, Analyzing Dichotomous Data and Polytomous Survey Data.
In the afternoon, participants get to explore "WinSteps 1" program. In essence, the Rasch model provides a mathematical framework against which test developers can compare their data. Rasch models are used for analysing data from assessments to measure variables such as abilities, attitudes, and personality traits. For example, they may be used to estimate a student's reading ability from answers to questions on a reading assessment, or the extremity of a person's attitude to capital punishment from responses on a questionnaire. According to wikipedia, Rasch models are particularly used in psychometrics, the field concerned with the theory and technique of psychological and educational measurement. In addition, they are increasingly being used in other areas, including the health profession and market research because of their general applicability. The mathematical theory underlying Rasch models is in some respects the same as item response theory. However, proponents of Rasch models argue it has a specific property that provides a criterion for successful measurement. Application of the models provides diagnostic information regarding how well the criterion is met. Application of the models can also provide information about how well items or questions on assessments work to measure the ability or trait.

Rasch Model with Professor Bond

Day One In conjuction with the International Conference on Innovation, Management and Technology Research (ICIMTR 2012),

the Accounting Research Institute (ARI)and the Center of Applied Management Studies of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) organize a three-day workshop on Applying the Rasch Model. Themed "Changing the Face of Innovation, Management and Technology Research: A Role of Rasch Measurement", the workshop is facilitated by Professor Trevor Bond from James Cook University, Australia. Professor Bond is a renown researcher and author. The second edition of his best-selling book which he co-authored with Christine Fox titled "Applying The Rasch Model: Fundamental Measurement in the Human Sciences", reflects his longstanding experience in educational settings as the background for applying fundamental measurement to outcomes in the human sciences. Sixty participants signed up for the course.

This includes forty two researchers and post graduate students from ARI. On the first day of the workshop, participants were introduced to the concepts of measurement; key measurement principles; construct validity & reliability and the Rasch Model Measurement. One of the main contributions of the Rasch Model Measurement is to transform ordinal-scale data set to interval-based scale. Such tranformation is essential to enable researchers to use high level parametric statistics so as to allow research findings to be inferred.

ICIMTR 2012

The International Conference on Innovation, Management and Technology Research (ICIMTR 2012)
was officially launched this morning by YB Datuk Wira Latiff bin Datuk Tamby Chik who represented the Chief Minister of Malacca, Datuk Seri Hj Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam. ICIMTR 2012 is an ISI/SCOPUS indexed conference that is jointly organized by Universiti Teknologi MARA and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan. Also presence at the opening ceremony were the Vice Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK); Professor Dr Faridah Hassan, Dean of the Faculty of Business & Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM); Professor Trevor Bond & Professor Klaus Georg Oestreicher (both are key note speakers); Professor Dr Normah Omar of the Accounting Research Institute (ARI)and Professor Dr Raja Suzana, the conference chair. ICIMTR 2012 has originally received more than 280 papers but only 75 of them "passed" the blind review process. A total of 50 international participants from more than 25 countries are attending the two-day conference.
Tomorrow, some 60 other participants will be attending a three day Rasch Model workshop which will be facilitated by Professor Trevor Bond of James Cook University, Australia. The Accounting Research Institute is sending a total of thirty eight (38) researchers for the Rasch Model workshop...

Roundtable Discussions on Islamic Microfinancing

ARI's Islamic Microfinancing research cluster, under the leadership of Prof Dr Rashidah Abdul Rahman organized a half day Roundtable Discussion Group with researchers and several industry players. In essence, the roundtable discussion aimed to enhance the business model formulated earlier by the group by getting important feedback from the practitioners. At least four groups of practitioners were invited for the roundtable discussion. Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) - an agency set up by the government to assist enterpreneurs to obtain micro credit from financial institutions. AIM also trains and monitors progress of these businesses.
Representing AIM was its Managing Director,Dato' Zabidah Ismail. Besides AIM, three other organizations that participated in the discussion were YaPEIM, Selangor Zakat Centre and a Takaful Insurance company. The event was attended by researchers from the Accounting Research Institute (ARI), International Islamic University, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT).

Gathering of UiTM Alumni

It was an exciting moment for Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Alumni. The Intellectual Discourse organized by the UiTM Alumni Association was a success. The secretariate was able to register at least 500 new alumni members to its existing directory. YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the deputy prime minister was the guest of honour. Alumni members representing all the various states were there to refresh their networking. More importantly, they were there to contribute in whatever way they can to their alma mater.
It was indeed heartwarming to see the "juniors" and the "seniors" were engaged in serious discussions - how can they "pay back" to this great university. The DPM also launched two books: 1 published by members by members of the alumni association and another about the first illectual discource where the guest speaker was Y. Bhg Tuan Dr Mahathir Mohamed...

Intellectual Discourse with DPM

The Alumni Association of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) will be organising a half-day Intellectual Discourse with the Deputy Prime Minister YAB Tan Sri Dato' Hj Muhyidin Hj Mohd Yassin on Thursday, 17th May 2012. The afternoon event will be held at the FELDA Perdana Ballroom in Kuala Lumpur.

The Intellectual Discourse will see YAB Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the Education Minister discussing educational policy with the alumni. It is expected that the historic event will be attended by more than one thousand UiTM alumni. The event will also see the launching of two books by YAB Deputy Prime Minister: (i) A Coffee Table book "Malaysiaku", written to reflect the Alumni Association's first intellectual discourse series in 2010 where YBhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed was the guest speaker and (ii) A book of reading comprising book chapters authored by several UiTM alumni. Those other alumni who are keen to participate, kindly contact the secretariate or you can also walk in on that day.....

Congratulations All Masters Graduates

The Accounting Research Institute (ARI) and the Faculty of Accountancy also wish to congratulate our Masters graduates

who received their scroll from the King on the first day of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) convocation. A total of forty two students received their Master of Accountancy; one received her Master in Corporate Governance and twenty others received their Master in Forensic Accounting and Financial Criminology degrees. Congratulations all, we are so proud of you.

Special congratulatory message to graduates who have successfully completed their applied research in Forensic Accounting & Financial Criminology for their final semester dissertation: Abd Aziz Abdul Jalil, Ardiana Mohd Rawi, Faizah Abdullah, Jamal Shariff Sulaiman, Mohamad Firdaus Satibi, Mohd Amran Md Arif, Noor Adira Abd Razak, Norazlina Kifli, Norsuliza Sohhimy and Shahreen Mahther. Well done.

Congratulations All PhD Graduates

The Accounting Research Institute (ARI) and the Faculty of Accountancy congratulate all our PhD and Masters graduates who received their scrolls from Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King) Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah at the Dewan Agong Tuanky Chancellor (DATC) yesterday. Special congratulations to our newly graduated PhD scholars: Associate Professor Dr Arun Mohamed (Financial Reporting)

, Dr Faizal Mohamed Yusof (Managerial Accounting & Forecasting), Dr Mohd Halim Kadri (Managerial Accounting), Dr Radziah Mahmud (Financial Reporting) and Dr Suaini Othman (Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting). Our congratulations also go to their respective supervisors - Prof Dr Muhd Kamil Ibrahim, Prof Dr Rozainun Abdul Aziz, Assoc Prof Dr Donna Davis, Associate Professor Dr Alya Sarah @ Pok Wee Ching, Associate Professor Dr Faizah Darus and Associate Professor Dr Roshayani Dato' Arshad. Well done