EDU 08 SEMINAR [ Tools of Assessment -Tests ]

 

Tools of Assessment

    Classroom assessment tools and other informal assessment tools provide key information regarding teaching and learning so that changes can be made as necessary. The central purpose of classroom assessment is to empower both teachers and their students to improve the quality of learning in the classroom through an approach that is learner-centered, teacher-directed, mutually beneficial, formative, context-specific, and firmly rooted in good practice. It helps for assessing course-related knowledge and skills, learner attitudes, values and self-awareness and for assessing learner reactions to instruction.

 

Tests

Tests may be of different forms, such as psychological tests used to measure mental and behavioral traits, achievement tests to assess performances of students, etc. They can be used to assess both the scholastic and co-scholastic abilities of the students. The tests are those instruments by which a teacher collects information as data through verbal and non-verbal responses of the students.

A concise definition may be: a test is an instrument or systematic procedure for measuring a sample of behavior (Gronlund, 1990).

 

A test measure: -

●       Human abilities, including intelligence, aptitudes, skills, and achievement in various areas.

●       Personality characteristics, which include traits, attitudes, interests, and values.

●       Adjustment and mental health, which involves detecting signs and symptoms of psychological and neurological disorders and appraising the effectiveness of psychological functioning.

 

 A test can be used for two broad objectives. First, it attempts to compare the same student on two or more than two aspects of a trait, such as attitude and aptitude of the same student; and second, two or more than two students may be compared on the same trait like attitude of two students.

 

Some tests are discussed below:

 

1. Paper Pencil Test

The paper pencil tests comprise a standard set of questions which are presented to the student in writing on paper or Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets that requires completion of cognitive tasks in the form of response by the student on those papers by pencil/pen mark. These responses or answers are summarized/scored to obtain a numerical value that represents a characteristic of the student for which the test was administered. The paper pencil tests can focus on what the student knows (achievement), is able to learn (ability or aptitude), chooses or selects (interests, attitudes or values), or is able to do (skill). These paper pencil tests are easy to administer and score. They are economic and have standard questions which provide uniform procedure for all the students. These tests provide standard scores to the teachers.

 

2. Oral Test

Oral tests are those tests in which the response, solution or the task requires oral response to answer the question. Teachers’ conversation with the students for the purpose of assessment, component of viva-voce examination for completion of a course, etc. can be called an oral test. In a written test, very little scope is left for the students to express themselves on any aspect whereas in oral test, students enjoy freedom to express themselves by citing many examples. In oral tests, teachers can also use figures, diagrams, charts, maps, models, signs, etc. for asking students to explain the concepts covered in it. Oral tests have proved most valuable when used with students having language disabilities, the illiterates, shy feeling and the young children.

Actually, the oral tests rely on the students’ oral performance to display their cognitive capabilities. This may be in the form of an oral discourse or a question and the answer session between the teacher and the students. These are effective for students with writing difficulties but may not be appropriate for students with hearing and speech difficulties or those who are prone to nervousness. For the students with speech difficulties, sign languages can be used, but in an inclusive classroom setting, sometimes it is not possible to apply sign language as it requires sign language training both for the teachers and the students as well.

Oral testing is particularly important in language classes because spoken language plays an important role to express oneself. Oral tests focus on students’ ability to communicate with what they know and how they articulate the things. Since spoken language is creative and flexible, students may find that oral testing gives them opportunities to self-correct, ask for clarification and use language creatively. Teachers may appreciate the opportunity to hear students who choose not to speak on a daily basis in class. The oral test also has its own limitations as it hardly measures the skill of writing of the students. Conducting an oral test is also a time consuming method, especially when it involves in-depth questioning. Oral tests can be used as one of the components of overall assessment of the performance of the students.

 

3. Aptitude Test

An aptitude test is also an instrument used to determine and measure an individual’s ability and skills to acquire, through future training. Aptitude tests may be classified into two groups: multiple aptitude tests, and special aptitude tests. Multiple aptitude tests are those which intend to measure various areas of aptitude (musical, mechanical, etc.) each by independent sub-tests, whereas the special aptitude tests measure only one specific aptitude like teaching, musical, etc. The multiple aptitude tests measure abilities of students in more than one area simultaneously by using different sections of a test while the special aptitude tests measure ability of the students in one area.

Aptitude tests are used to predict the future performance of the students. These predictions are for the performance based on specific criteria which are prior to instruction, placement or training. The aptitude tests are also used for guidance, as well as prediction of success in some occupations. Training or academic courses are possible on the basis of scores on standardized aptitude tests. For example, for pursuing teacher education programmes, one needs to have teaching aptitude; for pursuing medical courses, one needs to have medical aptitude; for pursuing engineering courses, one needs to have engineering aptitude; for musical courses and sports related courses, one requires to have musical and the sports aptitude respectively.

 

4. Achievement Test

Achievement tests are administered on students to measure their learning outcomes. These tests are more prevalent in our schools. These tests show as to what has been learned by the students, rather than to predict future performance as in the case of aptitude tests. There are teacher made and standardized achievement tests.

 

 5. Diagnostic – Remedial Test

The achievement tests which are used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the students are called diagnostic tests. The primary purpose of the test is to identify the problems faced by the students in achieving the learning objectives and to suggest remedial measures for them. Such tests are available in various areas of study, such as in language, mathematics, science, etc. Diagnostic remedial tests are specifically required in case the teacher observes certain learning difficulties in the students.

 

6. Intelligence Test

Test of mental ability or intelligence tests measure convergent thinking (Singh, 2002). Convergent thinking is a process of finding out the solution of a problem. Guilford defines convergent thinking as the ability to give correct answers to standard questions that do not require creativity. Intelligence tests are used to provide a very general measure, usually reporting a global test score. As they are general, intelligence tests are useful in predicting a wide variety of tasks. Intelligence tests can be classified on various backgrounds.

 

On the basis of administration, it can be classified into two categories:

 

1. Individual tests
2. Group tests Individual intelligence test is one which can be administered on one person at a time.

 

The first individual intelligence test was the Binet-Simon scale (1904). Individual test requires a highly skilled and experienced test administrator because he/she has to give exact instructions to the students in different sections and subsections of the test.

The group intelligence test is one which can be administered to more than one person at a time, that is, it can be administered on a group. The Army Alpha Test, 1917 (Verbal) and Army Beta Test (non-language) were the first group intelligence tests. They are generally used in educational settings for adolescents.

Intelligence tests can also be classified on the basis of the nature of items included in the tests such as verbal and non-verbal tests.

In verbal tests, the instructions and items are presented to the student in written language, whereas, in non-verbal tests, items are given in the form of figures, charts, diagrams, etc.

 

7. Norm-Referenced and Criterion-Reference Testing

Norm-referenced is a type of test that assesses the test taker’s ability and performance against other test takers. Criterion-Reference is a type of test that assesses the test taker’s ability to understand a set curriculum.

Norm-referenced is a type of test that assesses the test taker’s ability and performance against other test takers. It could also include a group of test takers against another group of test takers. This is done to differentiate high and low achievers. The test’s content covers a broad area of topics that the test takers are expected to know and the difficulty of the content varies. This test must also be administered in a standardized format. Norm-referenced test helps determine the position of the test taker in a predefined population. Examples of norm-referenced tests include SATs, ACTs, etc. These tests do not have a predetermined curriculum and the topics on the test vary depending on the panel that sets the test.

Criterion-Reference is a type of test that assesses the test taker’s ability to understand a set curriculum. In this test, a curriculum is set in the beginning of the class, which is then explained by the instructor. At the end of the lesson, the test is used to determine how much the test taker understood. This test is commonly used to measure the level of understanding of a test taker before and after an instruction is given. It can also be used to determine how good the instructor is at teaching the students. The test must have material that is covered in the class by the instructor. The teacher or the instructor sets the test according to the curriculum that was presented. Examples of Criterion-Referenced tests include the tests that are given in schools and colleges in classes by a teacher. This helps the teacher determine if the student should pass the class.

 

8. Speed tests and Power tests

Speed test: In a speed test, there is a time limit within which the test taker is required to answer all the items. Such a test evaluates the individual on the basis of time taken to answer the items accurately. In a speed test, all the items are of the same degree of difficulty.

Power test: Power test assesses the underlying ability of the individuals by allowing them sufficient time. These tests do not have any time limit. The items are generally arranged in an increasing order of difficulty

 

Relevance in field of research

Various tests allow researchers to determine whether their data supports or rejects the null hypothesis, and consequently whether they can accept their alternative hypothesis.

 

Merits of Tests

❖     Testing is necessary for identifying the underachievers.

❖     Testing is done to check the progress of the pupils.

❖     Testing is required for diagnostic purposes.

❖     Testing helps to change the personality of the learner.

❖     Testing helps to change the learning technique.

❖      It improved the quality of the learner.

❖     It helps to identify the learner.

❖      It helps to promote an individual from one class to another.

❖      Testing is necessary for providing rank and evaluation.

 

Demerits of Tests

❖      Difficulty in obtaining norms.

❖     Testing is a burden on the part of teachers.

❖      In many testing there is a lack of validity and reliability.

❖     There is a difficulty in administering a test on a large group.

❖     Testing can be corrupted by cheating of the student.

❖     Restricted to subjects who can read and write