Assessment of student learning is a process of measuring and describing students' performance before and after a learning process.
The course objectives of ED 103 (Assessment of student Learning)
- Differentiate, describe and understand the basic concepts, relationship and processes involved in assessment, measurement, evaluation and test.
- Construct, develop and identify the different assessment tools.
- Prepare, construct and apply the various principles in making item analysis, validation and improvement of test items congruent to the given instructional objectives
- Enumerate and explain the different authentic and alternative assessment methods.
- Provide students with adequate understanding on educational statistics and its interpretation.
- Discuss the functions and procedure of grading and reporting systems.
Classification and uses of test
There are two general kind of measuring instruments. First is the standard or standardized test that is the content has been selected and checked empirically, for which norms has been established, for which uniform methods of administering and scoring have been developed, and which may be scored with a relatively high degree of objectivity. Another kind of measuring instrument is the teacher made tests. These tests are made by the teachers and administered to their students to determine the achievements of the latter in the subjects they are taking for purposes of marking and promotion.
Standard tests are classified according to function, construction, number of person to whom test is administered, degree to which words are used in the test items and in student responses, difficulty of items, arrangement of items, and amount to be performed.
According to function, tests are classified as:
A. Psychological test- a test that measures individual’s ability or personality as developed by general experience. There are different types of psychological test and these are the following:
1. Intelligence test- a test that measures the mental ability of an individual.
2. Aptitude test- a test designed to indicate a person’s potential ability for performance of a type of activity.
3. Personality test- a test designed to measure some aspects of an individual’s personality. Under personality tests are:
a. Rating scale- a device use to evaluate products, attitude, or other characteristics of instructors or learners.
b. Personality inventory- a measuring device for determining an individual’s personality.
c. Projective test- a method of measurement of an individual’s personality in which the stimulus is usually unstructured and produces responses reflecting the person’s individuality.
4. Vocational and professional interest inventory- is a test used to determine the extent to which a person’s likes and dislikes relate to given vocation or profession.
B. Educational test- an achievement test which aims to measure a person’s knowledge, skills, abilities, understanding and other outcomes in subjects taught in school.
According to construction, tests are classified as:
A. Structured test- in this test the examinees are required to respond within the framework or design of the test and correct responses are expected.
B. Unstructured test- the examinees are free to respond in any way he likes, thinks, feels, or has experienced and there are no incorrect answers.
According to the number of person to whom test is administered, tests are classified as:
A. Individual test- the test is administered to only one person at a time.
B. Group test- a test can be given to more than one person at a time.
According to the degree to which words are used in the test items and students responses, tests are classified as:
A. Verbal test- a paper and pencil test variety but questions may be presented orally or in written form or objects may be presented for identification.
B. Nonverbal test- a test which is a minimum amount of language is used.
C. Performance test- also known as nonverbal but the students may be required to use paper and pencil for responding, or the manipulation of physical objects and materials.
According to difficulty of items, tests are classified as:
A. Speed test- the test whose items are the same level of difficulty. Students are tested on the number of items they can answer in a certain period.
B. Power test- the items have different degrees of difficulty and are arrange in ascending order or difficulty.
According to the arrangement of items, tests are classified as:
A. A test in which arrangement of items is not important.
B. Scaled test- the items are of different difficulty and are arranged from easy to difficult.
According to the amount to be performed, tests are classified as:
A. Maximum performance test- the examinee is urged to accomplish as much as he can to show his ability, capacity, etc.
B. Typical performance test- a test that tries to reveal what a person really is.
Table of specification
A table of specification is a plan to help teachers decide the subject matter in which to test. It is sometimes called a test blueprint, test grid or content validity chart. Instructional objectives specify the actual learning behavior, and test items are then designed to elicit those behavior. It is a two-way chart that describes the topics to be covered by the test and the number or points which will be associated with each topic. The main purpose of TOS is to aid the test constructor in developing a balanced test, which emphasizes the proportion of items to the amount of time spent in the classroom, activities engaged in and topics discussed.
There are 3 important aspects to be included in preparing table of specifications:
(1) Selecting the learning outcomes to be tested- To select the learning outcomes, you have to consider the specific nature of the course, the objective attained in previous courses, the philosophy of the school, the special needs of the students, and the host of the local factor that have a bearing on instructional program;
(2) Outlining the subject matter-To outline the subject matter, you have to outline it in detail for teaching purposes, but for the test planning, only major categories need to be listed;
(3) Making a two-way chart.
To construct a TOS, you have to define the content categories, you have to define the skills, you have to determine the relative weighs and also to complete the entries. A TOS allows the teacher to construct a test which focuses on the key areas and weighs those different areas based on their importance.
A TOS benefits students in two ways. (1) It improves the validity of teacher-made test; (2) it can improve student learning. The TOS helps to ensure that there is a match between what is taught and what is tested.
The purpose of a TOS is to identify the achievement domains being measured and to ensure that a fair and representative sample of questions appear in the test.
Multiple Choice
Multiple-Choice Test
The multiple choice type of test is a form of assessment in which student are asked to select the correct or best answer out of the choices from the list. In this kind of test, an item consists of two parts: the stem and a set of options or alternatives.
Advantages of the Multiple-Choice Test
1. It has great versatility in measuring objectives from the level of rote memorization to to the most complex level.
2. It often requires less time to administer than tests requiring written responses.
3. Because this style of test does not require a teacher to interpret the answers, test-takers are graded purely on the selection, thus creating a lower likelihood of teacher bias in the results.
4. Because student writing is minimized, the teacher can cover a substantial amount of course material in a relatively short time.
5. Scoring is objective since only little interpretation is needed to count the number of correct responses.
6. Teachers can construct options that requires students to discriminate among them. These items vary in the degree of correctness.
7. The effects of guessing are largely reduced since there are more options.
8. Items are more amenable to item analysis, and this can be used to detect areas of student weaknesses, evidence of item ambiguity, item difficulty, and the extent to which the item can measure individual differences.
Disadvantages of the Multiple-Choice Test
1. This type of test is more time consuming in terms of looking for options that are plausible.
2. Multiple-choice tests are ambiguous. Failing to interpret the question as the test maker intended can result in an incorrect response, even if the test taker’s response is potentially valid.
3. In a multiple choice test, a student who is incapable of answering a particular question can simply select a random answer and still have a chance of receiving a mark for it.
Suggestions for Writing Measuring Complex with Multiple-Choice Items
1. The stem should introduce what is expected to the examinee.
2. Avoid repetition of words in the options.
3. When the incomplete statement format is used, the options should come at the end of the statement.
4. Avoid specific determiners.
5. Use vocabulary suited to the maturity of the students
6. Stems and option should be stated positively whenever possible.
7. Options should be plausible and homo generous.
8. Items should have a defensible correct or best option.
9. Avoid items that measure opinions.
10. Vary the placement of correct options.
11. Avoid overlapping options.
12. Us “none of the above” as an option only if there is an absolute right answer.
13. Avoid asking students for trivial information like middle initials, specific date or years, spellings, among others, from the options.
14. Whenever possible, arrange options in a logical order of magnitude, temporal sequence, and so on.
15. The stem should be clear and grammatically correct and should contain elements common in each option.
16. Use four or five options.
Scoring the Multiple-Choice Test
Children below the fourth grade should probably answers questions on the test booklet itself rather than on a separate answer sheet.
Determining the Optimal Number of Options
The number of items on a test and the number of alternatives for each item affect the accuracy of measurements.
Types of Multiple-Choice Tests
1. Stimulus Material-Stem-Options
2. Stem-Options
3. Negative Stem
4. Best Answer
5. Contained Options
6. Correct Answer
7. Group Options
8. Morse Variety
CHECKLIST FOR WRITING MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
Factors
|
Yes
|
1 .Are the item and the main problem in the stem clearly presented?
|
√
|
2. Has the item been cast so that there is no repetition of key words or phrases for each option?
|
√
|
3.Do the options come at the end of the stem?
|
√
|
4.Have the responses been arranged in some systematic fashion, such as alphabetically or by the length of options?
|
√
|
5.Are all distracter plausible?
|
√
|
6.Have all irrelevant clues been avoided?
|
√
|
7.Are the correct answers randomly assigned throughout the test with approximately equal frequency?
|
√
|
8.Is there only one correct or best answer?
|
√
|
9.Has “all of the above” been avoided?
|
√
|
10.Has the “none of the above” option been sparingly or only when appropriate?
|
√
|
11.Have the overlapping options been avoided?
|
√
|
12.Have negative statements been avoided? If used, has the negative been underlined or written in capital letters?
|
√
|
True or False Test (TFT)
Objective: AT the end of the lesson the student are expected to
· Know the advantages and disadvantages of true or false test.
· Formulate their own sample question.
Binary Item test (True or False test)
This type of test requires the examinee to recognize and mark an item as true or false. Other possible options are agree or disagree, yes or no, valid or invalid, fact or opinion, cause and effect.
Advantages of True or False Test
1. Item Sampling
2. Ease of Construction
3. Ease of scoring
Disadvantages of the True or False test
1. Emphasis of Rote Memorization
2. Dependence on Absolute Judgment
3. Likelihood of Guessing
Pointers on Writing True or False Items
1. Construct items that measure important objectives.
2. Avoid using specific determiners.
3. Avoid using trick questions.
4. Limit each statement to the point that is being tested. Avoid equivocal items.
5. Avoid excess use of negative words and phrases.
6. Approximately half of the statements should be false.
7. Avoid qualitative terms like best, some, many, and several.
Modification of True or False Test
Corrections for Guessing
Students can be penalized for guessing since guessing does not reflect learning or true performance. Arguments in favor of corrections for guessing include, among others, the following:
a. Equate the scores of students who guess with those who work more carefully under restricted time limits. Under severe time limits, some students may work rapidly and guess on items, while some may work more slowly and deliberately.
b. Discourage students from guessing, thus facilitating learning.
c. Improve the extent to which test are capable of predicting criteria. Corrected scores correlate highly with the criteria of scoring than incorrectness.
Arguments Against Corrections for Guessing
1. Students may be discouraged from attempting to answer even though they have some information.
2. Students who make errors whether they guessed or not can be penalized.
3. The corrections for guessing are laborious to use.
4. The differences in scores may still go unnoticed even if the test items are increased.
Reducing the Effects of guessing Using Other Ways
1. Encourage the students to guess.
2. Increase the number of items.
3. Have the student revise false statement.
4. Confidence weighting.
Types of True or False Tests
1. Simple True or False
2. Modified True and False
3. True or false with Correction
4. Cluster True or False
5. True or False with Options
6. Fact or Opinion
7. Identifying Inconsistencies in a Paragraph
CHECKLIST FOR WRITING TRUE OR FALSE ITEMS
Factors
|
Yes
|
1.Was each item expressed in clear, simple language?
|
√
|
2.Was lifting statements verbatim from the text avoided?
|
√
|
3.Have negative statements been avoided where possible?
|
√
|
4.Have specific determiners, such as all, may, and sometimes been avoided?
|
√
|
5.Have double-barreled items (part true and part false) been avoided?
|
√
|
6.Have trick questions been removed?
|
√
|
7.Is each item clearly true or false?
|
√
|
8.Is there approximately the same number of true and false items?
|
√
|
9.Have the items been edited?
|
√
|
Quartile
Deviation
Another measure of variation is the quartile deviation or
the semi-interquartile range. This is specifically used when median is used as
a measure of central tendency (Downy and Health,1984).
Quartile
Deviation for Ungrouped Test Scores
Quartile deviation is calculated by getting the average
of the third quartile (Q3) and the first quartile (Q1).
The steps to be followed in computing QD are as follows:
- Arrange
the test scores from highest to lowest.
- Assign
serial numbers to each score. The first serial number is assigned to the
lowest score, while the last serial number is assigned to the highest test
score.
- Determine
the first quartile (Q1). To be able to locate Q1
divide N by 4. Use the obtained value in locating the serial number of the
score that falls under Q1.
- Determine
the third quartile (Q3) by dividing 3N by 4. Locate the serial
number corresponding to obtained answer. Opposite this number is the test
score corresponding t o Q3.
- Subtract
Q1 from Q3 and divide the difference by 2.
SCORE
|
SERIAL NUMBER
|
42
40
38
36
35
30
29
25
20
18
|
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
|
N=10
Reflections:
MODULE III
MODULE V
- module 5 is all about the characteristics of a good-test. When we say good test, it should be valid and reliable. test reliability refers to the degree to the consistency of scores obtained by the same person when retested by the same test. It is the degree to which a test will yield similar comparable result for the same student when administered at different times. a test should be valid and reliable in order for us to know the real achievement of students.
Module 9 Reflection:
Grading and Reporting
It has been last year
since our professor gave us our designated report but it seems like it was just
yesterday. We are still equipped with knowledge of what she gave and taught us.
And like any other story the semester is about to end with that knowledge she
gave us.
I learned in my report
that grades are likely to be meaningful when they represent achievement or
level of competence achieved. To determine students’ achievement, the teacher
can avail of data from such sources as quizzes, discussions, homework, final
examinations and reports. This of these data to utilize in deciding the
student’s grades depends on the judgment of the teachers and the school
administrators.
Indeed, I also learned
that there are cautions that should be exercised in order that grades can be
made valid indicators of students’ achievements. This process stated involves
(1) defining the course objectives as intended learning outcomes and (2)
developing or selecting tests and other devices that can measure these outcomes
(Gronlund 1981). As to which of the data gathered- tests, written reports,
recitations- should be used to determine grades, depends on the objectives
being emphasized and the nature of the course. For instance, in English, test
and written reports may reflect achievement, while in music; tests and
performance ratings on skill may serve the purpose.
I became aware that we
have to weigh the data to be represented by a grade. There is no consensus on
what data should be weighted or combined. The general guideline is that
weighing should reflect the relative importance of the specific educational
objectives of the particular subject area and the validity and reliability of
the data.
The
final test, too, has been found to be the most reliable single measure of
achievement among the various measures available to the teachers.
(Mehrens/Lehmann, 1972) it is even well stated to me that test scores and
rating should be converted into standard scores before they are multiplied by
their weights so that a more accurate grade can be obtained. (Downie/Heath,
1974)
I
was taught that in assigning grades most of it is not comparable. Generally,
teachers as we are soon to be, and school administrators should attempt or must
try to overcome this shortcoming by knowing that (1) arriving at a consensus regarding
what factors should be included in a grade for a particular subject in a
particular grade; (2) determining what weight each factor should receive; (3)
constructing departmentalized examinations for each subject area; and (4) using
a common conversion table for translating test scores into ratings, whether it
be norm-referenced or criterion-referenced. in the case of norm-referenced tests,
the mean and standard deviation of the scores obtained by all the pupils who took
test are used as bases for constructing the conversion table. In the case of
criterion-referenced grading, the criterion is set by the teachers teaching the
same subject and the conversion table is constructed based on their
professional judgment.
And
as a future teacher it is good for me knowing the guidelines to be considered
when grading. And I hope that in the near future I could apply everything my professor
taught me.
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento