Chapter 2

TEST and Its Uses in Educational Assessment

Testing- a technique of obtaining information needed for evaluation purposes.

Tests are devices used to obtain information; provide teachers with information that can aid them in
improving instruction; provide students with information that aid them in understanding themselves
better; provide parents with information about their children that can aid them in educational and
vocational planning; provide school administrators with information for planning and evaluating the
effectiveness of educational programs.( Oriondo and Antonio 2006)

Uses of Tests
According Oriondo and Antonio (2006), test serves 3 functions. They provide information that are
useful for improvement of instruction, in making administrative decisions and for guidance purposes.

1. Instructional Uses
Test provides the teacher with information that is helpful in providing more effective
instructional guidance for individual pupils and for the whole class. The test helps students
identify their own specific strengths as well as weaknesses, making them more aware of how
they can improve themselves. The test can motivate students to learn.
2. Administrative Uses
- Test results provide information that is needed for quality control. They provide
information that can be used as the basis for assessing curricular strengths and
weaknesses. Tests are useful for selecting decision. They provide information on who
should be accepted types of curricular programs. Tests are useful means of accreditation
or certification. Tests are useful for the evaluation instructional programs.
3. Guidance Uses
- Test results are useful in predicting an individual’s success in the field of study and thus
aid him in choosing an appropriate course of study.

TYPES OF TESTS
As to MODE OF RESPONSE:
1. ORAL TEST - a test wherein the test taker gives his answer orally.

2. WRITTEN TEST – a test where answers to questions are written by the test taker.

3. PERFORMANCE TEST - a test in which the test taker creates an answer or product that
demonstrates his knowledge or skill like cooking ,dancing baking

As to EASE OF QUANTIFICATION OF RESPONSE:

1. OBJECTIVE TEST – it is a paper pencil test wherein students’ answers can be compared and
quantified to yield a numerical score. This requires specific answer.

2. SUBJECTIVE TEST – it is a paper pencil test which is not easily quantified for, students are given the
freedom to write their answers to a question, such an essay test. This requires a varied answer.

As to MODE OF ADMINISTRATION
1. INDIVIDUAL TEST - it is a test administered to one student at a time.

2. GROUP TEST - it is a simultaneously administered to a group of students.

As to TEST CONSTRUCTOR
1. STANDARDIZED TEST – a test prepared by an expert or specialist; questions are administered to
students with the same directions and time limits.

2. UNSTANDARDIZED TEST – a test prepared by teachers for use in the classroom with no established
norms for scoring and interpretation of results. It is constructed by a classroom teacher to meet a
particular need.

As to MODE OF INTERPRETING RESULTS

1. NORM- REFERENCED TEST – test that evaluates student’s performance by comparing it to the
performance of a group of students on the test.

2. CRITERION – REFERENCE TEST -measures student’s performance against an agreed upon or pre -
established level of performance.

KINDS OF TESTS :
1. Intelligence Test. This test measures the intelligence quotient (IQ) of an individual. It is designed to
measure a variety of mental functions such as reasoning, comprehension, and judgement.

2. Personality Test. A questionnaire or other standardized instrument designed to reveal aspects of

individual’s character or psychological make up. It measures personality characteristics or discover
personality disorders.

3. Aptitude Test. This kind of test is a predictive measure of a person’s likelihood of benefit from
instruction or experience in a given field such as the arts, music, clerical work, mechanical tasks, or
academic studies (Calmorin, 1994)

4. Prognostic Test. This test forecasts how well a person may likely do in a certain school subject or
work. For instance, Iowa Placement Examination predicts which of the subjects in the curriculum a
student will be doing good.

5. Performance Test. A test requiring little or no use of language, the test materials being designed to
elicit manual or behavioral responses rather than verbal ones.

6. Diagnostic Test. This test identifies the weaknesses and strength of an individual’s achievement in any
field which serves as basis for remedial instruction. i.e., Iowa Silent Reading.
7. Achievement Test. This test measures how much students attain the learning tasks. For Example, NAT
(National Achievement Test).

8. Preference Test. This test is a measure of vocational or academic interest of an individual or aesthetic
decision by forcing the examinee to make force options between members of paired or grouped items.
For instance, Kuder Preference Record.

9. Scale Test. This test is a series of items arranged in the order of difficulty. An example of this kind of
test is the Binet-Simon Scale.

10. Speed Test. This test measures the speed and accuracy of examinee within the time imposed. It is
also called the alertness test. It consists of items of uniform difficulty.

11. Power Test. This test is made up of series of items arranged from easiest to the most difficult.

12. Standardized Test. This test provides exact procedures in controlling the method of administration
and scoring with norms and data concerning the reliability and validity of the test.

13. Teacher-Made Test. This test is prepared by classroom teachers based on the contents stated in the
syllabi and the lessons taken by the students.

14. Placement Test. This test is used to measure job an applicant should fill in the school setting and the
grade or year level the student or students should be enrolled after quitting from school.