Seminar-Workshop on the Use of Table of Specifications

26-September-2013, Thursday, @ 09:00am-2:00pm

Multi-Purpose Hall, Higher College of Technology, Al-Khuwair, Muscat
participated in by the Colleges of Technology

Acronyms/Mnemonics to Remember:
SMART Specific; Measurable; Attainable; Relevant; Time-based
ABC Audience; Behavior/Action Verb; Condition
HOTS Higher-Ordered Thinking Skills
LOTS Lower-Ordered Thinking Skills
ToS Table of Specifications

Figure 1. Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning

"The instructional objectives will determine which teaching

strategies you are going to employ in class."

"The instructional objectives will determine which types of exams

you are going to give to the students."

Seminar-Workshop Notes Page 1 of 8

 Seminar-Workshop on the Use of Table of Specifications
26-September-2013, Thursday, @ 09:00am-2:00pm
Multi-Purpose Hall, Higher College of Technology, Al-Khuwair, Muscat
participated in by the Colleges of Technology

AVOID!

In writing instructional objectives, words or phrases such as know, think, appreciate, learn,

comprehend, remember, perceive, understand, be aware of, be familiar with, have knowledge

of, grasp the significance, are NOT measurable and should be avoided.

Seminar-Workshop Notes Page 2 of 8

 Seminar-Workshop on the Use of Table of Specifications
26-September-2013, Thursday, @ 09:00am-2:00pm
Multi-Purpose Hall, Higher College of Technology, Al-Khuwair, Muscat
participated in by the Colleges of Technology

DOMAINS OF OBJECTIVES AND EXAMPLES OF INSTRUCTIONAL VERBS

COGNITIVE DOMAIN (Note: verbs are not limited to those listed below. The list is endless!)

1. Knowledge Remembering previously learned materials. Require students to recognize a concept without
necessarily understanding, using or changing it.

Answers: Who? What? When? Where? questions

Cite Label Memorize Reproduce Define

Quote Pronounce Identify Match Recite

List Name Select Arrange Duplicate

Recall Repeat List State

2. Comprehension ability to grasp the meaning of material. Require students to understand he concept
without necessarily relating it to anything else. The student must restate the concept in other words.

Rephrase Substitute Convert Give examples Represent Summarize

Estimate Extend Describe Generalize Infer Predict

Rewrite Recognize Express Locate Report Review

Reword Vary Interpret Paraphrase Defend Distinguish

Alter Discover Manage Relate Change

Depict Give main idea Restate Translate Illustrate

Classify Indicate Sort Tell Explain

Seminar-Workshop Notes Page 3 of 8

 Seminar-Workshop on the Use of Table of Specifications
26-September-2013, Thursday, @ 09:00am-2:00pm
Multi-Purpose Hall, Higher College of Technology, Al-Khuwair, Muscat
participated in by the Colleges of Technology

3. Application ability to use learned material in new and concrete situations. Require the student to use a general
concept to solve a particular problem

Answers: How many? Which? What is?

Change Compute Demonstrate Apply Discover Manage

Relate Classify Employ Manipulate Predict

Operate Prepare Produce Show Solve

Employ Evidence Manifest Present Utilize

Interpret Dramatize Practice Illustrate Schedule

Sketch Choose Direct Use Modify

4. Analysis ability to break down material into its component parts that its organizational structure may be
understood. Require the student to break something down into parts.

Answers Why questions.

Ascertain Diagnose Distinguish Outline Analyze Break down

Differentiate Discriminate Divide Point out Associate Examine

Reduce Conclude Find Separate Designate Dissect

Infer Determine Outline Relate Select Subdivide

Appraise Calculate Experiment Test Compare Contrast

Criticize Inspect Debate Question Solve Categorize

Seminar-Workshop Notes Page 4 of 8

 Seminar-Workshop on the Use of Table of Specifications
26-September-2013, Thursday, @ 09:00am-2:00pm
Multi-Purpose Hall, Higher College of Technology, Al-Khuwair, Muscat
participated in by the Colleges of Technology

5. Synthesis- ability to put parts together to form a new whole. Require the student to produce something
unique or original

Answers how can we improve? What would happen if? How can we solve questions?

Categorize Combine Compile Compose Conceive Create

Design Devise Develop Expand Extend Originate

Generalize Generate Integrate Invent Modify

Organize Plan Pose Propose Project

Rearrange Reconstruct Reorganize Revise Set up

Synthesize Theorize Collect Prepare Formulate

Arrange Assemble Summarize Construct Plan

6. Evaluation ability to judge the value of material for a given purpose. Require the student to form
judgments and make decisions about the value of a concept.

Appraise Assess Compare Conclude Contrast Criticize

Critique Discriminate Deduce Evaluate Explain Justify

Interpret Relates Summarize Supports Judge Weigh

Argue Choose Defend Estimate Predict Rate

Score Select Value Agree Assume Challenge

Seminar-Workshop Notes Page 5 of 8

 Seminar-Workshop on the Use of Table of Specifications
26-September-2013, Thursday, @ 09:00am-2:00pm
Multi-Purpose Hall, Higher College of Technology, Al-Khuwair, Muscat
participated in by the Colleges of Technology

Table of Specifications

Table of Specifications (ToS), sometimes called a Test Plan, is a test blueprint which is a two-
way table that matches the objectives or content you have actually taught with the level at which
you expect students to perform. It covers the following: What is tested? How are the outcomes
and objectives linked with the topic? What were discussed and how much time was spent in each
topic? How many items/marks should be used given the amount of available time?

It is understood that there are variations of ToS formats across various educational institutions in
the world; however, at the Department of Information Technology, Higher College of
Technology, Muscat, below is the format that had been used based on the existing procedures,
guidelines, and forms being used and practiced by the department.

First Page:

Total % of
Blooms Actual
Chapter Learning Actual Total
Instructional Taxonomy Time Number Question Total
No. / Outcome Time Actual
Objectives Cognitive Spent of Marks No. Marks
Title No. Spent Time
Level (hh:mm)
(hh:mm) Spent

To be
filled-in

later.

Total

Next Page:

Chapter No. Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Total

[Total (%)] [Total (%)] [Total (%)] [Total (%)] [Total (%)] [Total (%)] [Total (%)]
Total
[Total (%)] [Total (%)]

Seminar-Workshop Notes Page 6 of 8

 Seminar-Workshop on the Use of Table of Specifications
26-September-2013, Thursday, @ 09:00am-2:00pm
Multi-Purpose Hall, Higher College of Technology, Al-Khuwair, Muscat
participated in by the Colleges of Technology

How to Prepare the Table of Specifications:

1. Write the Chapter No./Chapter Title under the first column.

2. Indicate the LEARNING OUTCOME NO. that had been achieved under the second
column.

3. Write the INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES under the third column. This must be
exactly the same as what appears on the Course Material.

4. Identify the BLOOMS TAXONOMY COGNITIVE LEVEL under the fourth column for
each instructional objective.

5. Specify the ACTUAL TIME SPENT for each instructional objective based on the actual
teaching hours. Use the format hh:mm. Also, Specify the TOTAL ACTUAL TIME
SPENT. These should be consistent on what had been written on the Course Follow-Up
Form.

6. Specify the % TOTAL TIME SPENT by dividing the TOTAL ACTUAL TIME SPENT
by the GRAND TOTAL TIME SPENT multiplied by 100 to get the % OF TOTAL TIME
SPENT.

7. Specify the TOTAL MARKS by dividing the % TOTAL TIME SPENT by 100
multiplied to the TOTAL NUMBER OF EXAM MARKS.

8. Distribute the TOTAL MARKS to the NUMBER OF MARKS column.

9. The QUESTION NUMBER column should be filled-in after the ToS had been approved.
This is because ToS is a tool used to prepare test questions. At this point, you do not have
created any test item yet. In other words, ToS is a blueprint of the exam paper.

Seminar-Workshop Notes Page 7 of 8

 Seminar-Workshop on the Use of Table of Specifications
26-September-2013, Thursday, @ 09:00am-2:00pm
Multi-Purpose Hall, Higher College of Technology, Al-Khuwair, Muscat
participated in by the Colleges of Technology

References:
[1] Bloom, B. S. ed. 1956. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals:
Handbook I: Cognitive Domain. New York: Longman.

[2] Department of Information Technology, HCT, Muscat, Table of Specifications.

Resource Speaker:

Seminar-Workshop Notes Page 8 of 8