The validation of a basic knowledge test of music for the Cultural Arts Guidance Program (PBSB) in Malaysia using the 2 parameter logistic (2PL) model item response theory

This study is drawn from a larger study on the effectiveness of the Cultural Arts Guidance Program (PBSB) in Malaysian schools. It is a joint programme between the Department of National Culture & Arts (JKKN) and the Ministry of Education Malaysia. The PBSB effectiveness study was conducted in 2013 to help JKKN improve the programme implementation and set forth the future direction of PBSB. The three most popular areas of cultural arts, namely dance, music and theatre were studied. Several assessment instruments were developed based on the objectives of PBSB and the modules used in the programme. This study focuses only on the development and re-validation of the basic knowledge test of music used in the PBSB effectiveness study. The present article discusses the background of PBSB, some important findings from the PBSB effectiveness study and the psychometric characteristics of the items in the test from the perspective of the Item Response Theory (IRT). The test of multiple-choice items was administered to 437 PBSB students in primary and secondary schools that were selected through stratified random sampling technique. Data from the study were re-analysed using IRT to further establish the reliability and validity of the test. Overall, the test was found to possess sound psychometric characteristics as reflected by the model fit, the item-person map, reliability and validity of ability estimates and the difficulty, discrimination and guessing parameters. The test can be used to complement the existing assessment systems in PBSB, but different tests should be developed for each module.