Classroom Test Classroom Test and Assessmentand Assessment

Chapter 6Chapter 6

8 basic steps of testing and 8 basic steps of testing and assessmentassessment

The objective of testing and The objective of testing and assessment is to obtain valid, reliable, assessment is to obtain valid, reliable, and useful information concerning and useful information concerning student achievement.student achievement.1) Determine the purpose of measurement1) Determine the purpose of measurement

2) Developing specifications2) Developing specifications

3) Selecting appropriate assessment tasks3) Selecting appropriate assessment tasks

4) Preparing relevant assessment tasks4) Preparing relevant assessment tasks

8 basic steps of testing and 8 basic steps of testing and assessment (cont)assessment (cont)

5) Assembling the assessment5) Assembling the assessment

6)Administering the assessment6)Administering the assessment

7)Appraising the assessment7)Appraising the assessment

8) Using the results8) Using the results

Using the steps you will achieve the Using the steps you will achieve the main goal, which is improved learning main goal, which is improved learning and instruction.and instruction.

Purpose Purpose

Pre-testingPre-testing Tests and assessment given at the Tests and assessment given at the

beginning of an instructional segment to beginning of an instructional segment to determine two key componentsdetermine two key componentsa.a. Whether students have the prerequisite skills Whether students have the prerequisite skills

needed for the instruction (determine needed for the instruction (determine readiness).readiness).

b.b. What extent students have already achieved What extent students have already achieved the objectives of the planned instruction the objectives of the planned instruction (placement or modification of instruction).(placement or modification of instruction).

Purpose (cont)Purpose (cont)

During InstructionDuring Instruction Tests and assessments given during instruction Tests and assessments given during instruction

provide the basis for formative assessment.provide the basis for formative assessment.a.a. They are used to monitor learning progress, detect They are used to monitor learning progress, detect

misconceptions, encourage students to study, and misconceptions, encourage students to study, and provide feedback to students and teachers.provide feedback to students and teachers.

b.b. Using a different types of test items and complex Using a different types of test items and complex performance assessment needs to ensure that the performance assessment needs to ensure that the full comprehension of objectives is assessed full comprehension of objectives is assessed (meaning choose questions carefully to have (meaning choose questions carefully to have understanding in the classroom.)understanding in the classroom.)

End-of-InstructionEnd-of-Instruction

The main interest is in measuring the The main interest is in measuring the extent to which the intended learning extent to which the intended learning outcomes and performance standards outcomes and performance standards have been achieved. have been achieved.

Although these end-of-instruction test Although these end-of-instruction test and assessments are used primarily for and assessments are used primarily for summative assessment they can serve summative assessment they can serve as other functions, as other functions,

End-of-Instruction (cont)End-of-Instruction (cont)

such as, such as, 1) Feedback to students1) Feedback to students

2) Encouraging students to undertake advanced 2) Encouraging students to undertake advanced workwork3) Assigning of remedial work3) Assigning of remedial work4) Assessing instruction as well as for grading 4) Assessing instruction as well as for grading purposespurposes5) Function as both formative and summative5) Function as both formative and summative6) Pre-test for the following unit6) Pre-test for the following unit

7) Evaluating instructional effectiveness7) Evaluating instructional effectiveness

Selecting AppropriatelySelecting Appropriately

It is common to make a distinction between It is common to make a distinction between classroom test that consist of objective test classroom test that consist of objective test items and performance assessment that items and performance assessment that require students to construct responses or require students to construct responses or perform a particular task. perform a particular task.

Objective test require students to supply a Objective test require students to supply a word or two or to select the correct answer word or two or to select the correct answer from a number of alternatives. from a number of alternatives.

They are called objective because they have a They are called objective because they have a single right answer or best answer that can be single right answer or best answer that can be determined in advance. determined in advance.

Objective TestObjective Test

There are five main components to an objective test, such asThere are five main components to an objective test, such as Short answerShort answer

What is the name of the author of Moby Dick?What is the name of the author of Moby Dick? CompletionCompletion

In the equation 2X+5=9, X=____In the equation 2X+5=9, X=____ MatchingMatching

Color of the skyColor of the sky A) Brown A) Brown Color of the dirtColor of the dirt B) BlueB) Blue Color of the treesColor of the trees C) GreenC) Green

True-False or Alternative ResponseTrue-False or Alternative Response T F An atom is the smallest particle of matter.T F An atom is the smallest particle of matter. Yes No Acid turns litmus paper red.Yes No Acid turns litmus paper red.

Multiple ChoiceMultiple Choice In the equation 2X+5=9, 2X meansIn the equation 2X+5=9, 2X means

A)A) 2 plus X2 plus XB)B) 2 multiplied by X2 multiplied by XC)C) 2 minus X2 minus X

Objective TestObjective Test

To obtain the correct answer, students must To obtain the correct answer, students must demonstrate the specific knowledge, demonstrate the specific knowledge, understanding, or skill. They are not free to understanding, or skill. They are not free to redefine the problem or to organize and redefine the problem or to organize and present the answer in their own words.present the answer in their own words.

This type of method contributes to scoring that This type of method contributes to scoring that is quick, easy, and accurate.is quick, easy, and accurate.

Negative side: inappropriate for measuring the Negative side: inappropriate for measuring the ability to formulate problems and choose an ability to formulate problems and choose an approach to solving them or the ability to approach to solving them or the ability to select, organize, and integrate ideas.select, organize, and integrate ideas.

Performance TestPerformance Test

Permit the student to organize and construct Permit the student to organize and construct the answer. the answer.

Other types of performance may require the Other types of performance may require the student to use equipment, generate student to use equipment, generate hypotheses, make observations, construct a hypotheses, make observations, construct a model, or perform to an audience.model, or perform to an audience.

For the most performance assessments do not For the most performance assessments do not have a single right or best response- there may have a single right or best response- there may be a variety of responses.be a variety of responses.

Performance TestPerformance Test

Performance assessment tasks are Performance assessment tasks are needed to measure a student’s ability to needed to measure a student’s ability to engage in hands-on activities, such as engage in hands-on activities, such as conducting an experiment, designing and conducting an experiment, designing and conducting a survey, or essay.conducting a survey, or essay.

Since essay is the most common, there Since essay is the most common, there are two types of essay questions: are two types of essay questions: extended-response and restricted-extended-response and restricted-response.response.

Performance Test Performance Test

Extend-ResponseExtend-Response Permit students to decide which facts they think are most Permit students to decide which facts they think are most

pertinent, to select their own method of organization, and pertinent, to select their own method of organization, and write as much as seems necessary for a comprehensive write as much as seems necessary for a comprehensive answer. answer.

Tends to reveal the ability to evaluate ideas, to relate them Tends to reveal the ability to evaluate ideas, to relate them coherently, and to express them succinctly.coherently, and to express them succinctly.

They are valuable for measuring complex skills and They are valuable for measuring complex skills and understanding of concepts and principles, they have three understanding of concepts and principles, they have three weaknesses:weaknesses:a)a) Inefficient for measuring knowledge of factual materialInefficient for measuring knowledge of factual materialb)b) Scoring criteria are not as apparent to the studentScoring criteria are not as apparent to the studentc)c) Scoring is difficult and unreliable due to the various responses, Scoring is difficult and unreliable due to the various responses,

include array of factual material, organization, legibility, and include array of factual material, organization, legibility, and conciseness.conciseness.

Performance TestPerformance Test

Restricted-ResponseRestricted-Response These questions minimize some of the weaknesses These questions minimize some of the weaknesses

of extended, for three reasons:of extended, for three reasons: Easier to measure knowledge of factual material.Easier to measure knowledge of factual material. Scoring more clear to the student.Scoring more clear to the student. Reduces the difficulty of the scoring.Reduces the difficulty of the scoring.

The negative side- less effective as a measure of The negative side- less effective as a measure of the ability to select, organize, and integrate ideas.the ability to select, organize, and integrate ideas.

In addition, if the restrictions become too tight, the In addition, if the restrictions become too tight, the questions reduce to nothing more than a objective questions reduce to nothing more than a objective type test.type test.

Most Appropriate TypesMost Appropriate Types

Read as a class page 151, under Read as a class page 151, under “selecting the most appropriate types of “selecting the most appropriate types of items and tasks”items and tasks”

What does this mean to you? Discuss What does this mean to you? Discuss with your partner.with your partner.

Most Appropriate TypesMost Appropriate Types

Multiple-Choice QuestionsMultiple-Choice Questions Will measure the learning outcome directly. Will measure the learning outcome directly.

True- False QuestionsTrue- False Questions Most valuable in those special instances Most valuable in those special instances

where there are only two possible answers. where there are only two possible answers.

Matching QuestionsMatching Questions Used only where a series of homogeneous Used only where a series of homogeneous

things are to be related.things are to be related.

Representative TestRepresentative Test

We expect students to know thousands of We expect students to know thousands of facts, but we can test for only a limited number facts, but we can test for only a limited number of them; we expect students to develop of them; we expect students to develop understanding applicable to innumerable understanding applicable to innumerable situations, but we can test application to only a situations, but we can test application to only a limited number of situations; and we expect limited number of situations; and we expect students to develop thinking skills that will students to develop thinking skills that will enable them to solve a variety of problems, but enable them to solve a variety of problems, but we can test their problem-solving ability with we can test their problem-solving ability with only a limited number of problems. only a limited number of problems.

Number of QuestionsNumber of Questions

Of course this is important factor when Of course this is important factor when deciding area of achievement.deciding area of achievement.

There are a set of specifications that depend There are a set of specifications that depend on such factors:on such factors: Purpose of measurement:Purpose of measurement: The type of test or assessmentThe type of test or assessment Age of the studentsAge of the students Level of reliability needed for effective use of the Level of reliability needed for effective use of the

test/ assessment results.test/ assessment results.

Eliminating BarriersEliminating Barriers

Have questions that would contain these Have questions that would contain these situations:situations: Ambiguous StatementsAmbiguous Statements Excessive wordinessExcessive wordiness Difficult vocabularyDifficult vocabulary Complex sentence structureComplex sentence structure Unclear instructionsUnclear instructions Unclear illustrative materialUnclear illustrative material Racial, ethnic, or gender biasRacial, ethnic, or gender bias

Suggestions for tests/ Suggestions for tests/ assessmentassessment

1.1. Use your test and assessment specifications Use your test and assessment specifications as a guideas a guide

2.2. Write more items and tasks than neededWrite more items and tasks than needed3.3. Write the items and tasks well in advance of Write the items and tasks well in advance of

the testing datethe testing date4.4. Write each test item and assessment task so Write each test item and assessment task so

that the task to be performed is clearly that the task to be performed is clearly defined and it calls forth the performance defined and it calls forth the performance described in the intended learning outcomedescribed in the intended learning outcome

Suggestions for tests/ Suggestions for tests/ assessmentassessment

5. Write each item or task at an appropriate 5. Write each item or task at an appropriate reading levelreading level

6. Write each item or task so that it does not 6. Write each item or task so that it does not provide help in responding to other items or provide help in responding to other items or taskstasks

7. Write each item so that the answer is one that 7. Write each item so that the answer is one that would be agreed on by experts or in the case would be agreed on by experts or in the case of assessment, responses judged excellent of assessment, responses judged excellent would be agreed on by expertswould be agreed on by experts

8. Whenever a test or assessment is revised, 8. Whenever a test or assessment is revised, recheck its relevancerecheck its relevance

Improving learningImproving learning

As you construct classroom tests and As you construct classroom tests and assessments, keep in mind the extent to assessments, keep in mind the extent to which is likely to contribute directly or which is likely to contribute directly or indirectly.indirectly.

Well constructed classroom tests and Well constructed classroom tests and assessments should increase both the assessments should increase both the quality and quantity of student learning.quality and quantity of student learning.

ExercisesExercises

Question 1Question 1 Describe why you would use a pretest and Describe why you would use a pretest and

how would the results be used in your how would the results be used in your teaching?teaching?

Question 2Question 2 List several objectives that are best List several objectives that are best

measured with objective test. List several measured with objective test. List several that require the use of performance that require the use of performance assessment.assessment.