Educational Testing and Measurement

Chapter 4
Kubiszyn, 2016
Stacie Brodi and Barry Feldman
 Education and Testing
As classroom teachers, we know that now-a-days student are being tested more and more. Why is this?
Why has testing increased exponentially?

According to Kubiszyn, “We test in education to make informed and defensible educational decisions”
(page 57).

Without testing, many decisions are made solely by the teacher - whose decisions can be affected by:

● Bias
● Pressure
● Perceptions

Over the past 50 years, think about how a teacher’s decision may have been propelled by -

● Bias towards a cultural, religious, or ethnic student that may have been different from them
(segregation)
● Pressure to conform to community beliefs or standards (Lori Laughlin, lol)
● Perceptions of teaching ability, etc. (dumbing down curriculum to appease parents)
Vote
 Testing, Accountability,
and the Classroom Teacher
Kubiszyn shares that “as teachers decisions continue to come under scrutiny, tests represent an attempt
to provide objective data that can be used along with background and other contextual information,
together with subjective impressions to make better, more defensible educational decisions. So, like we
said in our last class, 50/50 is the best vantage point.

Today, because of “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) and the “Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act” (IDEIA) - teachers work more closely with special needs learners now more than
ever and can have access to more resources for student learners in the classroom. Together with testing,
more students can be discussed.

Funding for diverse student learners comes from government funding associated with NCLB and
IDEIA (31A, SE, Title 1) - Data must be provided to continue with appropriations from these accounts.
 Types of Educational
Decisions
(Every day in Class Decisions)
Instructional
*NCLB and Common
Core Accountability
Grading
*Most influential decision that
affects students
**Teacher is most likely able to
defend
Diagnostic
*Decisions made about student
strengths and weaknesses based
on teacher-made assignments
and/or assessments
Teacher/Staff Decision Administrative Team
Creation of lesson plan Validity of Classroom Test
Pacing of the lesson Formative/Summative
Making a referral Assessment Data
CR/NC assignments Common Policy
Redos Learning objectives aligned
Grading of Assignments with testing measures
Quizzes Student inclusion prompts
Formative Assessments tracking of students and
Summative Assessments elicits the RTI/MTSS
Assignments response from teacher
Examples of Work diagnostic decisions
According to Susan B. Neuman in her article Code Red: The Danger of Data-Driven Instruction, “Data collection can
lead to more deliberate and systematic analysis of student work, which in turn can lead to more differentiated
approaches to instruction that highlight individual students’ strengths while working on their weaknesses, which can
lead to greater student learning.”

Selection Decisions Pacing Benchmark Testing

*Involve test data used for placement Use resources to improve Progress Monitoring
opportunities

Placement Decisions Data is used to create groups RTI/MTSS offering

*Determine where in a program Start/Stop instruction leveled classes
someone is best-suited to begin
Course offerings

Counseling/Guidance Recommend programs of RTI/MTSS offering for

Decisions study, changes in schedules, social/emotional needs and
career paths, and colleges behavioral concerns

Program or Curriculum Training Compare and Contrast

Decisions Teach Programs with fidelity Instructional Programs for all
Collect Data to Compare instructional levels

Administrative Policy Reconstitution - AYP Promotional

Decisions Recognition - $$ Graduation
What to Measure and How to Measure
Mr. Walsh Mr. Carter

● Monthly tests and a ● Monthly tests 20%

comprehensive final ● Comprehensive final 20%
examination 100% ● Homework 10%
● Takes attendance, ● Attendance 20%
● Comments on homework ● Class participation 15%
assignments ● Attitude 15%
● Encourages classroom
participation
 Mr. Walsh and Mr. Carter

● What is in question is not only their

measurement method, or how they weight
components of a grade, but what they are
measuring.
● Much of what we measure or attempt to measure
in the classroom is not clearly defined.
 The example presented is intended to alert you to two
general problems encountered in classroom
measurement:

1. Defining what it is that you want to measure.

2. Determining how to measure whatever it is that you are

measuring.
 How you measure
must always match
What you measure.

Whether you give word problems, use number formats,

or provide real-world examples depends on whether
you are measuring problem-solving ability, knowledge
of facts or processes, application, and so on.
Type of Written Test Description

Verbal Emphasizes reading, writing, or speaking. Most tests in education are verbal tests.

Nonverbal Does not require reading, writing, or speaking ability. Tests composed of numerals or
drawings are examples.

Objective Refers to the scoring of tests. When two or more scorers can easily agree on whether
an answer is correct or incorrect, the test is an objective one. True–false, multiple-choice,
and matching tests are the best examples.

Subjective Also refers to scoring. When it is difficult for two scorers to agree on whether an item
is correct or incorrect, the test is a subjective one. Essay tests are examples.

Speed Tests with time limits so strict that no one is expected to complete all items. Items
tend to be easy.
Continued…

Type of Written Test Description

Teacher-made Tests constructed entirely by teachers for use in the teachers’ classrooms.

Standardized Tests constructed by measurement experts over a period of years. They are designed
to measure broad, national objectives and have a uniform set of instructions that
are adhered to during each administration. Most also have tables of norms, to which
a student’s performance may be compared to determine where the student stands
in relation to a national sample of students at the same grade or age level.

Power Tests with liberal time limits that allow each student to attempt each item. Items tend
to be difficult.

Deeper Understandings:

Chapter 16 Validity Evidence

Chapter 17 Reliability