By Brooke Larsen Photo by Mei-Ling Shaw Williams

Terry Ackerman joined the University of Iowa College of Education this fall as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in Educational Measurement and Statistics.

Terry Ackerman earned his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His research focuses on trying to model educational assessment data. In particular, he explores the dimensionality of this data and what may be the cause of the dimensionality.The ultimate goal of his work is to create more valid assessments and provide diagnostic and prescriptive information for teachers to make them more effective in the classroom. Currently, Ackerman has an Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) grant in which he is looking at course-taking behavior and other student background variables to determine how they affect student performance on test items.

In regard to reaching graduate students, Ackerman says, "I realize that the material and research that I cover in class may not be as 'exciting' to my students as they are for me. But hopefully I can help students develop a passion for research and help them understand how research can improve education and make teachers more effective in the classroom."