Scribd
Upload
11 views

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 discusses the planning of classroom tests and assessments, emphasizing the importance of careful preparation to obtain valid and reliable information about student achievement. It outlines the purposes of different types of assessments, including pretesting, formative, and summative assessments, and highlights the use of a table of specifications to ensure representative sampling of learning outcomes. The chapter concludes with strategies for developing relevant test items and the ultimate goal of improving student learning and instructional effectiveness.

Uploaded by

Nazish Ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
11 views

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 discusses the planning of classroom tests and assessments, emphasizing the importance of careful preparation to obtain valid and reliable information about student achievement. It outlines the purposes of different types of assessments, including pretesting, formative, and summative assessments, and highlights the use of a table of specifications to ensure representative sampling of learning outcomes. The chapter concludes with strategies for developing relevant test items and the ultimate goal of improving student learning and instructional effectiveness.

Uploaded by

Nazish Ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

Chapter 6

Planning Classroom Tests


and Assessments

Group Members: (B.Ed 2.5 year – II Semester)


1. Uroosa Saroj
2. Abeera Sakheen
3. Saima Inam
4. Sadia Irshad
5. Nazish Ali
6. Abdul Mateen

Facilitator:
Sir Altaf – Numl University
Introduction:
Classroom tests and assessments are central to evaluating student learning, providing measures of
important learning outcomes and making expectations clear to students and parents. The validity of these
assessments depends on careful planning and preparation. The primary goal is to obtain valid, reliable, and
useful information about student achievement, which requires precise definition of what is to be measured
and ensuring that the tasks constructed minimize irrelevant skills. A systematic approach, as outlined in
Figure 6.1, enhances the likelihood of preparing effective tests and assessments.

The Purpose of Classroom Testing and Assessment:


Classroom tests and assessments serve various instructional purposes, best described by their location in
the instructional process:
1. *Pretesting*: Administered at the beginning of a unit or course to determine readiness or prior
achievement. Readiness pretests are limited in scope and difficulty, often requiring teachers to develop
their own tests.
2. *Testing During Instruction*: Formative
assessments monitor progress, detect
misconceptions, and provide feedback. These
include quizzes, unit tests, and diagnostic tests,
which help identify specific learning difficulties.
3. *End-of-Instruction Testing*: Summative
assessments measure the extent to which
learning outcomes and performance standards
have been achieved. These tests can also
provide feedback, assign grades, and evaluate
instructional effectiveness.

Developing Specifications for Tests and Assessments:

To ensure that tests measure a representative sample of instructionally relevant tasks, it is essential to
develop specifications that guide the selection of test items and assessment tasks. A *table of
specifications* is a useful tool for this purpose. It involves:
1. *Preparing a List of Instructional Objectives*: Clearly defined objectives and specific learning outcomes.
2. *Outlining the Course Content*: Detailed content areas to be covered.
3. *Preparing a Two-Way Chart*: Relating objectives to content and specifying the number and percentage
of items for each area.

For example, in a middle school weather unit, objectives might include knowing basic terms, understanding
weather symbols, and interpreting weather maps. The table of specifications ensures that each objective
and content area receives appropriate emphasis.

Selecting Appropriate Types of Items and Assessment Tasks:


Classroom tests can consist of *objective test items* (e.g.,
multiple-choice, true-false) or *performance assessments* (e.g.,
essays, oral presentations). Objective items are highly structured
and have a single correct answer, while performance tasks allow
students to construct responses or perform tasks. Both types
have advantages and limitations:
- *Objective Items*: Efficient for measuring factual knowledge
and understanding but less suitable for complex skills like problem-solving.
- *Performance Assessments*: Better for measuring complex outcomes but are time-consuming to
administer and score.

Preparing Relevant Test Items and Assessment Tasks:


The construction of items and tasks should follow these steps:
1. *Determine the Purpose*: Define the purpose of the test or
assessment.
2. *Develop Specifications*: Create a detailed plan for what
and how to measure.
3. *Select Appropriate Types*: Choose the types of items and
tasks that best measure the intended outcomes.
4. *Construct Items and Tasks*: Ensure they match the learning outcomes and provide a representative
sample of the domain.
 Matching Items to Outcomes*: Each item or task should directly measure the intended learning
outcome. For example, if the outcome is to "identify the function of a body structure," the test item
should ask, "What is the function of the kidneys?"
 Obtaining a Representative Sample*: Since tests are a sample of possible items, it is crucial to
ensure that the sample is representative of the entire domain. This is achieved by using a table of
specifications and ensuring that each objective and content area is adequately covered.
 Eliminating Irrelevant Barriers*: Test items should not be influenced by factors unrelated to the
learning outcome, such as complex sentence structure or difficult vocabulary. Care should be taken
to avoid racial, ethnic, or gender bias.
 Avoiding Unintended Clues*: Items should not provide clues that allow students to answer correctly
without the necessary knowledge. For example, grammatical cues or verbal associations can
inadvertently lead to the correct answer.

General Suggestions for Writing Test Items and Assessment Tasks:


1. *Use Specifications as a Guide*: Ensure items and tasks
align with the test plan.
2. *Write More Items Than Needed*: This allows for the
elimination of weaker items during review.
3. *Write Items in Advance*: Reviewing items after a few
days can reveal ambiguities.
4. *Ensure Clarity*: Clearly define the task and match it to
the learning outcome.
5. *Write at an Appropriate Reading Level*: Avoid complex
language that could distort results.
6. *Avoid Inter-Item Clues*: Ensure one item does not
provide information useful for answering another.
7. *Ensure Expert Agreement*: Correct answers or excellent
responses should be agreed upon by experts.
8. *Recheck Relevance After Revision*: Ensure that revised items still measure the intended outcome.

Focusing on Improving Learning and Instruction:

The ultimate goal of testing and assessment is to improve student learning. Well-constructed tests and
assessments can:
1. *Encourage Comprehensive Learning*: By measuring a variety of learning outcomes, students are
encouraged to develop a deeper understanding rather than relying on memorization.
2. *Improve Teaching Procedures*: Translating learning outcomes into test items clarifies expectations and
can lead to more effective teaching methods.
3. *Enhance Teacher-Student Relations*: Fair and useful assessments can improve student perceptions of
fairness and usefulness, leading to better learning outcomes.

Summary
Planning classroom tests and assessments involves determining the purpose, developing specifications,
selecting appropriate types of items and tasks, and preparing relevant items and tasks. Tests can be used
for pretesting, formative assessment during instruction, and summative assessment at the end of
instruction. A table of specifications is a valuable tool for ensuring that tests measure a representative
sample of learning outcomes. Both objective test items and performance assessments have their place in
measuring student achievement, and the choice depends on the learning outcomes to be measured. The
preparation of relevant items and tasks requires careful matching to learning outcomes, obtaining a
representative sample, eliminating irrelevant barriers, and avoiding unintended clues. The ultimate goal is
to improve student learning and instruction.

Learning Exercises:

1. Describe the nature of a readiness pre-test and its use in teaching.


2. Differentiate between formative and summative tests and assessments.
3. Explain the advantages of using a two-way chart for test specifications.
4. Discuss the importance of measuring a representative sample of learning outcomes.
5. List learning outcomes best measured by objective test items and those requiring performance
assessments.
6. Identify factors that might prevent students from performing their best on a test.
7. List factors that could enable students to answer objective test items correctly without the necessary
knowledge.
8. Outline the steps for preparing a unit test and how it differs from an end-of-course summative test.
References:

- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (1989). Curriculum and evaluation standards for school mathematics.
Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

- Gronlund, N. E. (2005). Assessment of student achievement (8th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

- Millman, J., & Greene, J. (1989). The specification and development of tests of achievement and ability. In R. L. Linn
(Ed.), Educational measurement (3rd ed.). New York: Macmillan.
- Popham, W. J. (2007). Classroom assessment: What teachers need to know (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

You might also like