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Evaluation, Assessment, & Testing Chapters I –II. Jacob Luth. What is a Test?. A way to measure someone’s ability knowledge, or performance in an area. What is a Test?. It requires performance from the test taker -- t he student must answer a question from a reading passage
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What is a Test? • A way to measure someone’s ability knowledge, or performance in an area
What is a Test? • It requires performance from the test taker -- the student must answer a question from a reading passage It must measure a specific skill • -- In seconds how quickly can you cover one hundred meters
What is Assessment? • Assessment is the process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand, and can do with their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences; the process culminates when assessment results are used to improve subsequent learning. (Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses: shifting the focus from teaching to learning by Huba and Freed 2000)
Examples of Assessment • Observing the classroom • Asking students questions • Giving a quiz or exam • Students reflecting on the class
Formative Assessment • Evaluating students as a “process” with the goal of helping them achieve the course objectives… • For example Classroom Observations Discussion Questions
Summative Assessment • Aims to measure what a student has learned throughout the course • For example: Quiz Test Essay
Reliability • The extent to which a test is dependable and repeatable • It is not whether or not a test is achieving its purpose – That’s something else!
Types of Reliability • Student Related Reliability • Rater Reliability • Test Condition Reliability • Test Reliability
Rater Reliability -- Human Error -- Subjectivity and Bias
Validity • The extent to which inferences made from assessment results are appropriate, meaningful and useful. • Does a test measure what it is suppose to measure
Validity • Content Validity • Criterion Related Validity • Construct Related Validity • Face Validity
Content Validity • Does a reading test measure a student’s reading ability? • Does a speaking test measure a student’s speaking ability?
How Can I Increase Content Validity? • What are the objectives of the course? For example: Students will be able to write using the simple past, present, and future tenses. • What are your test objectives? • Can students write with fluency in the simple past tense? (Do your test objectives align with your course objectives) • Do your test questions align with your test objectives?
Face Validity • The degree to which a test looks correct and appears to measure the knowledge or abilities in claims to measure • (If you think the test is good. The test is a good!)
How can I increase ‘face validity’? • Directions are easy to follow • Questions are easy to follow • The difficulty level is just right • It has high ‘content validity’ • Students understand the format of the test
Washback • The effect of testing on instruction (teaching & learning) -- The things on the exam become the things that are emphasized in the course
Discussion Questions • Is it good to have wash back in the classroom? Why?
Discussion Questions • Is it important to have ‘face validity’ if your assessment contains ‘content validity’?
Discussion Questions • Why is rater ‘reliability’ important?