DEVELOPING ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS

SaKitha Hall

BACKGROUND

Achievements testing is currently at the forefront of the school-reform movement in the United States, and learner-centered assessment permeates the school-reform literature. The definitions of learner-centered assessment are congruent with traditional definitions of criterion-referenced testing, a central element of systematically designed instruction. Learner-centered assessments are to be criterion-referenced (i.e., linked to instructional quality.

CONCEPTS

The major concept in the chapter is criterion-referenced assessment, usually an instrument composed of items or performance tasks that directly measure skills described in one or more performance objectives.

The term criterion is used because assessment items serve as a benchmark to determine the adequacy of a learner’s performance in meeting the objectives; that is, success on these assessments determines whether a learner has achieved the objectives in the instructional unit.

FOUR TYPES OF CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS AND THEIR USES

FOUR TYPES OF TEST FOUR TYPES OF TEST Entry Skills Tests: The first

type of test, an entry skills test, is given to learners before they begin instruction.

Pretests: The purpose of a pretest is not necessarily to show a gain in learning after instruction by comparison with a posttest but rather to profile the learners.

Practice Tests: The purpose for practice tests is to provide active learner participation during instruction.

Posttests: Posttests are administered following instruction, and they are parallel to pretests, except they do not include items on entry skills.

TEST DESIGNHow does one go about designing and developing a criterion-referenced test? A primary consideration is matching the learning domain with an item or assessment task type. Assessment in the attitudinal domain can also be complex.

MASTERY LEVELS

The concept of mastery level, as opposed to criterion indicates the mastery level, is more often applied to a test for an entire unit of instruction or an entire course. Researchers who work with mastery learning systems suggest that mastery is equivalent to the level of performance normally expected from the best learners.

TEST ITEM CRITERIA

These categories are goal-centered criteria, learner-centered criteria, context-centered criteria, and assessment-centered criteria.

GOAL-CENTERED CRITERIA

LEARNER-CENTERED CRITERIA

CONTEXT-CENTERED CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT-CENTERED CRITERIA

MASTERY CRITERIAWhat is the proper number of items needed to determine mastery of an objective? How many items must learners answer correctly to be judged

successful on a particular objective?

TEST ITEM FORMAT AND PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

Test items can be altered from the “best possible” response format to one that will save testing time or scoring time.

The testing environment is also an important factor in item format selection. What equipment and facilities are available for the test situation?

OBJECTIVES TESTS

Objective tests include test items that are easy for learners to complete and designers to score.

WRITING OBJECTIVE TEST ITEMS

Whether centered on goals, learners, contexts, or assessments, designers can use all four main criteria in developing effective objective test items.

WRITING DIRECTIONS

A typical sequencing strategy for designers who need to hand-score constructed responses and to analyze responses

within objectives is to cluster items for one objective together.

SEQUENCING ITEMS

Developing alternative assessment instruments used to measure performance, products, and attitudes does not involve writing test items per se but instead requires writing directions.

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS FOR PERFORMANCES, PRODUCTS, AND

ATTITUDES

DEVELOPING THE INSTRUMENT

1. Identify the elements to be evaluated.2. Paraphrase each element.3. Sequence the elements on the

instrument4. Select the type of judgment.5. Determine how the instrument will be

scored.

DEVELOPING THE RESPONSE FORMAT

The fourth step pin developing an instrument to measure performances, products, or attitudes is to determine how the evaluator will make and record the judgments.