Analysis of progress in international reading literacy study (PIRLS) 2021 Türkiye data using cognitive diagnostic modeling

This research aims to analyze Türkiye's data from the International Readıng Literacy Study (PIRLS) conducted in 2021 with cognitive diagnostic modeling. Turkiye last took the PIRLS exam in 2001 before 2021. It is of great importance for Turkiye to enter this international exam after twenty years. By analyzing the data obtained from the exam with cognitive diagnostic models (CDM), the strengths and weaknesses of the test takers regarding reading skills can be seen and more detailed feedback can be received. In addition, with CDM, information can be obtained about the path to be followed in order to better improve students' reading skills during the education process. In this study, the text "The Empty Pot" was chosen to analyze and the data of 667 students from Türkiye who solved this text were analyzed. First of all, after taking the opinions of field experts, the quality of "Interpreting and integrating ideas/information" among the PIRLS qualifications was divided into "Interpreting" and "Using personal knowledge and experiences". The final Q-matrix includes the attributes of "Inferencing", "Interpreting", "Using personal knowledge and experiences" and "Examining and Evaluation". In the study, G-DINA, DINA, DINO, A-CDM, LLM and R-RUM models were compared among the CDMs and it was determined that the G-DINA model was more compatible with the data. At the same time, a Q-matrix verification step was applied to correct any misdeterminations that may occur in the Q-matrix. The findings show that 39 students (5,85%) were classified as experts in all attributes (1111). Another striking result is that 69 students who took the exam could not master any attribute (0000), indicating that approximately 10% of the students did not have any of the measured attributes. According to all analysis results, among the four attributes, inferencing is the easiest attribute to master, while using personal information and experiences is seen as the most difficult attribute.