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A test is an instrument or tool that is used to assess or measure the learners' progress and achievement in terms of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes.
Testing
refers to a systematic procedure of measuring or assessing the learners'
progress and achievement. In other words, testing refers to the administration
of a test.
TYPES OF TESTS
The tests
are in various types. Some of the types include objectives tests, subjective
tests, aptitude tests, achievement tests, diagnostic tests, etc.
Objective tests
1.
Objective tests: These are tests whose answers can be scored more objectively. Objective
tests can be divided into three main groups as Supply item tests,
Selection-item tests and Rank-order item tests
(a)
Supply item tests
The aim of
this form of test is to determine the learners' ability to recall or recognize
the appropriate term, concept or phrase to complete a given statement. The
learner is presented with incomplete statements and has to supply a term, word,
name, date or phrase which either completes the statement or answers the
question. Such test items are also call fill in items. Example: The ….. of
Zambia is over 10 million people. In this example, the correct term would be
population.
(b)
Selection-item tests
The learner
is required to select the most suitable response from several alternatives
provided. The selection-item tests can be divided into the following
sub-groups:
True/False item test: Example:
Zambia has a sea-coast: True or False.
Matching item test: This required the learner to
match the corresponding options or make a choice from corresponding options.
Usually, this test has two columns of items which are to be associated
directly. Consider the following example:
Question |
Answer |
(A) The Founding father of
Psychology (B) Levy Mwanawasa was
President of that country (C) One of Freud’s
Psychoanalytical Techniques |
1.Zambia 2. Free association 3. Wilhelm Wundt |
In the
example above, the correct answer would be to match (a) with 3, (b) with 1 and
(c) with 2 so that in the blank spaces there is B, C, A.
Multiple choice items test: The learner
chooses the best answer out of several alternatives. A multiple choice item may
be in the form of a question or an incomplete statement (known as a stem).
Examples:
a. Which of the following cities is the capital city of
Zambia?
(A)
Lilongwe
(B)
Mbabane
(C)
Harare
(D)
Lusaka
b. The first president of Zambia was......................................
(E)
Kenneth Kaunda
(F)
Harry Nkumbula
(G)
Simon Kapwepwe
(H)
Levy Mwanawasa
Pictorial-test items:
These are pictures or drawings. They are very suitable for learners with
difficulties in reading ability. They test such abilities as to recall
information, to complete parts missing in a picture or drawing or to interpret
the picture or drawing.
(c) Rank-order item tests: The learner
is required to indicate the appropriate order of items presented, e.g., in
chronological order, alphabetical order, ascending order or descending order. A
learner may be asked to arrange the following dates in a chronological order or
happening:
1. 2007
2. 1964
3. 1800
4. 1902
In the task
above, the correct way to arrange these dates in chronological order (from the
earliest to the latest) would be like this:
(C) 1800 (D) 1902 (B) 1964 (A)
2007
A learner
may also be asked to arrange the names of countries in alphabetical order:
Angola, Mozambique, Uganda, Somalia, Botswana. The answer will be:
Angola,
Botswana, Mozambique, Somalia, Uganda.
Advantages of Objective tests
c. They allow for the coverage of many topics
d. Answers can be scored quickly and more objectively
since there is only one correct answer and the answer is not open to
interpretation. This enables learners to respond quickly to questions.
e. They are easy to mark
f.
Less able pupils
have chance to pass
Disadvantages of Objective tests
g. Time consuming in setting
h. Costly in terms of paper and effort
i.
They may lead to
guessing (e.g. multiple choice questions and true/false items)
j.
Not effective in
testing the learners ability to organize their thoughts or to write coherently
k. They sometimes tend to test recall of specific facts
rather than creativity
l.
A lot of skill may
be required when setting.
2. SUBJECTIVE TESTS (ESSAY TEST QUESTIONS)
These are
also known as essay tests. Essay test questions are recommended when assessing
higher-order mental processes such as application, analysis, synthesis and
evaluation. They should not be used to measure knowledge of facts or
principles. There are two types of essays, long essays and short essays. Long
essay tests involve long descriptive writing. They use terms like discuss,
explain, comment, describe. Short essay tests require the learner to write as
briefly as possible.
Merits of essay tests
Essay tests
have some advantages over objective tests because they enable learners to:
m. Use their own words, style and organization in
answering
n. Demonstrate the degree to which they can analyse a
problem
o. Creatively select relevant information
p. Give evidence of substantial understanding of the
content
q. Organize answers in a logical and comprehensive manner
r.
Bring out a lot of
information they know on the topic since there is no absolutely wrong or right
answer.
s.
Improve skills in
writing and logical organization of the content
t.
They are easy to
set and leave less room for guessing.
Demerits of essay tests
u. They sometimes encourage learners to recall
information rather than understand it.
v. They present a problem of content validity. An
adequate sampling of the content and objectives of a topic by essay questions
is very difficult. The essay questions take more time to answer than objective
questions, thus limiting the number of questions that can be asked and also the
topics that can be examined.
w. There is the problem of subjective scoring.
Subjectivity makes essay test results lower in reliability than objective
tests.
x. Extraneous factors can influence a teachers scoring or
making of an essay, e.g., poor handwriting, grammatical, spelling errors,
teachers mood, etc. The teachers first impression of the learner (known as hallo
effect) affects the marking either positively or negatively.
y. They require a lot of time and concentration when
marking. This tends to limit essay testing to very specific objectives where a
teacher is handling large classes.
Achievement tests
Achievement
tests measures a person's current level of knowledge or competence in a
particular subject ( such as mathematics or Psychology) Achievement tests are designed to
measure how much a person has already learned in a particular area in a given
time. It measures the extent to which a person has acquired certain
information or mastered certain skills, usually as a result of specific
instruction eg students are tested on what they have learned in a particular
area such as in Psychology, Mathematics and Language.
Such tests not
only enable an instructor to assess a student’s knowledge, but they also help
students assess their progress for themselves. They are validated in terms of
their content validity, or how well they measure students’ mastery of a
set of knowledge.
Computers are often used to administer
achievement tests. One method is called adaptive testing. In a
standard test, everyone gets the same questions in the same order. With
adaptive testing, however, the computer changes the question difficulty as it
adapts the test to your performance. If you answer several problems correctly,
the computer challenges you with harder problems.
If you miss a question, the
computer follows it with an easier problem. This process enables the computer
to identify your ability by finding the difficulty level where you answer most,
but not all, of the problems correctly. Adaptive testing is more accurate than
standard testing, especially when test takers are either very high or very low
in ability.
Computers can also adapt tests
to include more problems in areas where your answers are frequently wrong. This
procedure is called adaptive instruction (Kasschau, 2000). By increasing
the questions posed on topics you are missing, the computer reinforces more
careful studying in areas least understood.
Uses of achievement tests
For placement - to determine whether students have the
right knowledge to begin instruction
To determine the underlying causes of learning
problems (diagnostic evaluation)
To determine how well students have attained the
instructional objectives during the course of learning/training (summative
evaluation) eg end of term/year examination.
They measure the effects of learning or training
To gauge the effectiveness of a learning procedure or
a curriculum in a school. The student's performance is then compared with that
of other students in the same class/faculty to evaluate their educational
progress
DIAGNOSTIC TEST
A test which is used to identify or detect weaknesses
or strengths of the learner in specific areas of achievement in order to put corrective
measures.
In order to
measure the learners' skill, ability or knowledge, test questions, exercises or
practical activities can be administered.
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION TYPES OF TESTS
1. APTITUDE TESTS
An aptitude
is a natural propensity or ability to learn a kind of skill required in a
specific situation. Aptitude tests attempt to discover a person’s talents and to predict how
well he or she will be able to learn a new skill. These tests are
designed to measure what a person can learn to perform or whether they can
perform the job after training
They are assessed
primarily in terms of their predictive validity. Two such tests are the
Differential Aptitude Test (DATE) and the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB).
The GATB is the most widely used of these tests. Consider the
model of the aptitude test (General Aptitude Test Battery) below.
Actually, the GATB
comprises nine different tests, ranging from vocabulary to manual dexterity.
Test results are used to determine whether a person shows promise for each of a
large number of occupations. In addition to the GATB, there are aptitude tests
in music, language, art, mathematics, and other special fields.
The SAT and the
American College Test (ACT) are general aptitude tests. These tests were
designed to predict a student’s success in college. The best predictor of how a
student will do in college is how he or she did in high school. However,
grading standards differ among high schools. So, combined with high school
grades, the SAT is a fairly good predictor of student success in college.
Uses of Aptitude test
ee. Aptitude tests attempts to predict the future ability
on the basis of one's present ability.
ff. They are commonly used in colleges/ universities for
admission purposes. The test results help to measure a person's readiness to
learn certain things/skills or perform certain tasks
gg.For employee selection and placement e.g. placing
employees in various jobs that fit their abilities
hh.Test results can be used to help choose a career
PLANNING A TEST
A test is one
important tool of assessment. It plays an important role in evaluating
students' learning and also the teacher's teaching. It provides relevant
measures of learning outcomes and evidence concerning learners' achievement
i. Factors considered when designing test
Test scores
are always and in some degree subject to error caused by poor measuring
instruments, lack of skill in using these tools or recording the results. To
minimize errors, certain factors should be considered:
- Consider learners' abilities. A good number of tests
are beyond learners' comprehension.
- Consider the work covered in the syllabus. Do not test students/pupils out of syllabus
- Consider the language to use. It should not be too hard or too simple
- Readability. A good test should be written clearly so
as to be easily read by the test takers. Typed test is far much better than
hand-written one.
- Consider time limit for a test. Do not allocate more than enough or too little time for the test.
- Consider appropriate sitting arrangement. There should be enough space created between candidates.
- It is important to inform the candidates in good time when the test will be given and the place where it will be written from.
- Check the room whether there is enough lighting and ventilation in the room where the test will be conducted.
1.
Table of test specifications
A table of
specifications is a two-way chart that relates desired outcomes to course
content. A test specification table is a test-plan or tool for designing a well
balance test/examination. When setting test questions, you need to come up with
a test plan or table of specifications. A tester should first of all identify
the outcomes or skills to be measured by the test. Tester should therefore,
take into account the Bloom's Cognitive taxonomy of educational objectives when
identifying these outcomes (This taxonomy is discussed in Unit 6, point 6.9.1
of this module).
The table
has mainly two parts: one part contains the learning outcomes while the other
part contains the subject topics.
In the
boxes or cells in the table, the teacher puts the number of questions at each
learning outcome per topic examined. This is obtained by making a tally in the
corresponding cell or box as you write each test item or question.
The table
of test specifications ensures that the teacher does not only stick to the
testing of instructional outcomes based on the knowledge level but includes
other outcomes as well. It also ensures that the teacher sets questions drawn
from different topics.
Importance of specification table
• Allows the
tester to widely spread the learning outcomes or skills to the test questions
so that the learners are tested on various learning outcomes
• It ensures
that the teacher does not only test students on knowledge level or just few and
limited areas of the whole course
• Helps to ensure content validity in
planning test questions is attained/achieved.
• Helps the
teacher to easily determine whether the test items adequately measures the
nature of the instruction as well as the weight or emphasis given on each
learning outcomes and topic.
TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
LEARNING
OUTCOMES OR SKILLS |
|||||||
Topic/area |
Knowledge |
Comprehension |
Application |
Analysis |
Synthesis |
Evaluation |
TOTAL |
Topic 1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
14 |
Topic 2 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
Topic 3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
Topic 4 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
Topic 5 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
14 |
TOTAL |
13 |
11 |
12 |
9 |
7 |
8 |
60 |
PURPOSE OF TESTS
1. Tests play a
very important role in evaluating pupils learning and also the teachers
teaching.
2. Tests
provide relevant measures of learning outcomes and direct evidence concerning
learners' achievement.
10.1.5 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD TEST
The most
important step in most testing exercises is to select a test that is clearly
focused on the ability to be tested. Another important step is to ensure that
the test designed is a sound one that will yield information of real value.
Based on
this quality, there are some characteristics that should be taken into account
when setting a quality test. These characteristics or features that a test
should have if it is to be real, trustworthy and informative. To ascertain that
a given test is sound and has real value, the following are the features to
consider:
(a) Reliability
An
assessment is considered reliable when the same results occur regardless of
when the assessment occurs or who does the scoring. There should be compelling
evidence to show that results are consistent (test results consistency)
Importance of test reliability
·
It helps
Stakeholders to draw firm conclusions from the results as to which Ways of
improve on test reliability
·
It helps teachers
to include test items that discriminate among candidates so that no one gets
all the items correct or incorrect o Tester to use objective scoring procedures
·
It helps tester to
include a good number of test items (a longer test generally is better than a
shorter one)
A good test
should be highly reliable. This means that the test should give similar results
even though different testers administer it. A reliable test should be able to
give a consistent score from one occasion to another for the individual or
group irrespective of the person who administers it.
(b) Validity
A valid
assessment is one which measures what it is intended to measure. The validity
in other words is the quality of a test to measure what it is meant to measure
A valid
test must cover the whole syllabus. The marks or grades that are given on an
examination can only have a meaning if the test/examination is valid.
Types of validity
a. content
validity - measures the degree to
which the content of a test samples broadly across the domain of interest
b. predictive
validity - measures the degree to
which the test can predict some future outcome, such as job performance or
school success eg high student grade can predict future good performance
c. construct
validity - measures how well the test
applies to particular theoretical scheme or construct.
d. Criterion
validity - measures the how well test
scores correlate with an independent measure (criterion) of whatever the test
is supposed to assess.
If the test
achieves what the originators intended it to achieve, it is a valid test.
N.B: There is a connection between the validity and the
reliability of a test.
Comparability
The test
should be able to compare the achievement of one pupil to another.
The
comparability of standards in test/examinations is very important. This would
bring consistency in examination results and hence instil public interest
confidence. To insure this, the following should be observed:
·
Test
specifications should be followed each time test items are being prepared.
·
Copies of current
syllabi should be used when preparing test items.
·
Copies of past
examination papers of the subject of test items being set should be used for
reference.
·
The format of the
examination should remain the same.
·
Moderators should
be used to check the comparability of the test items to previous years.
STANDARDIZATION/NORMS
In addition
to reliability and validity, good tests need norms. Norms are sets of scores
obtained by representative groups of people for whom the test is intended.
This is
where testing, scoring and interpretation procedures are the same across all
administrations of the test. E.g. everyone who takes the test receives the same
instructions, uses the same answer sheet, and has to complete the test within
the same specified period of time. Norms are sets of scores or standards
obtained by representative groups of people for whom the test is intended.
These should be the same.
(e)
Discrimination
A good test
should be able to discriminate good performing pupils from the bad performing
ones in terms of performance. i.e. it should give below average, average and
above average performers.
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