Chapter 1 - Part 1:

Testing, Assessing and Teaching

EII60

INTRODUCTION

Day-to-day work of teachers is multifaceted.

No responsibility is more important than assessing
student performance.
Teachers must be able to communicate academic
and social performance and progress to a variety
of audiences (including students, parents,
administrators, the general public, etc.).
Assessments and evaluative judgments must be
accurate in order to prevent communication of
misinformation to audiences.

SOME BASIC DEFINITIONS

Assessment system: All systematic methods and

procedures used to obtain information about students;
basis for decisions.
Evaluation: Use of assessment information to make
judgments.
Measure: Process involving a structured situation where
specific characteristics are sampled; results in a
numerical or narrative score (also known as assessment
method).
Test: Formal set of questions or tasks that address
particular cognitive capabilities learned in specific subject
areas.

SOME BASIC DEFINITIONS

Administration
of tests and
use of other
assessment
methods

result in the
accumulatio
n of

evaluatio
n.

assessmen
t results,

which provide
information
for

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Formal Assessment Methods:

planned in advance of their administration lack spontaneity
typically occur at the end of instruction
students are aware of these methods
examples include chapter tests, final exams, graded
homework, etc.
Informal Assessment Methods:
more spontaneous; less obvious
typically occur during instruction
examples include teacher observations and questions

QUANTITATIVE VS. QUALITATIVE

Quantitative Assessment Methods:

yield numerical scores
major types include teacher-constructed tests,
standardized tests, checklists, and rating scales
Qualitative Assessment Methods:
yield verbal descriptions of characteristics
main types include teacher observations,
anecdotal records, and informal questions

FORMATIVE VS SUMMATIVE

Formative Evaluation
decision making that occurs during instruction for purposes of
making adjustments to instruction
more of an evaluation of ones own teaching rather than of
students work
may be based on formal or informal methods
Summative Evaluation
occurs at the end of instruction (e.g., end of chapter, end of unit,
end of semester)
typically used for administrative decisions (e.g., assigning grades,
promoting/retaining students)
based solely on formal assessment methods

STANDARDIZED VS. NON-STANDARDIZED

Standardized Assessment Methods

administered, scored, and interpreted in identical fashion for
all examinees
purpose is to allow educators to compare students from
different schools, states, etc.
examples include SAT, GRE, ITBS, Cambridge Language
Assessments, TOEFL
Non-standardized Assessment Methods
typically made by teachers for classroom use
purpose is to determine extent to which subject matter is
being taught and learned

NORMED REFERENCED VS. CRITERION

REFERENCED

Norm-Referenced Assessment Methods

show where an individual students performance lies in relation to
other students
standardized tests are usually norm-referenced
results are quantitative
student performance is compared to norm group
Criterion-Referenced Assessment Methods
compare student performance to preestablished criteria or
objectives
results are quantitative, qualitative, or both
also known as mastery, objectives-referenced, or competency
tests

TRADITIONAL VS. ALTERNATIVE

Traditional Assessment Methods

procedures such as pencil-and-paper tests and quizzes
only one correct response to each test item
easily and efficiently assess many students
simultaneously
encourage memorization of facts, etc.
Alternative Assessment Methods
more appropriate for hands-on, experiential learning
include authentic assessment (involve real application of
skills beyond instructional context)

OBJECTIVE VS. SUBJECTIVE

Objective Assessment Methods

objective refers to method of scoring (no judgments)
contain only one correct answer
examples: multiple-choice, true-false, matching items
also known as structured-response, selected-response, teachersupplied items
Subjective Assessment Methods
scoring involves teachers subjective judgments
several possible correct responses or single correct response with
several ways to arrive at that answer
examples: short-answer and essay items
also known as open-ended, constructed-response, supply-type items