The vast majority of second language teachers feels confident about their instructional performance and does not usually have much difficulty with their teaching thanks to their professional training and accumulated classroom experience. Nonetheless, many second language teachers may not have received sufficient training in test development to…

Several forms of assessment tools, including behavioral rating scales and objective tests such as the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), can be used to measure inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors associated with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, research with school-age children has shown that the correlations…

Cognitive performance is affected by an individual's characteristics and the environment, as well as by the nature of the task and the amount of practice at it. Mental performance tests range in complexity and include subjective estimates of mood, simple objective tests (reaction time), and measures of complex performance that require decisions to…

A model was developed to provide a uniform method for vocational and technical education content experts to develop test items (written questions and performance measures) that are congruous with course-level exit competencies. The model is essentially a closed-system approach in that specific action verbs must be identified and operationally…

The evaluation materials presented may be used by instructors of nursing assistants as assignment sheets or as unit tests, whichever is deemed most advantageous for the students. The test items are presented in divisions which correspond to the 11 units of the related curriculum guide: orientation; human behavior; medical communication skills;…

This paper provides users of teacher-made tests with a computer program designed to improve reporting of student performance on academic tasks. Test planning and construction and form and technique for reporting student performance are described. (CHK)

The relationship between scores on a typical bar exam and the ability to practice law was investigated with 485 applicants who took the bar exam and a 2-day performance test involving basic oral and written legal tasks. These tasks consisted of simulated cases; each participant functioned as the attorney for the plantiff in one case and as the…

This research explored the validation of a quantifiable, objective, and reliable method of measuring the amount of effort to be directly rewarded in incentive systems. A battery of relevant ability tests was given to a sample of Air Force trainees and to civilian subjects using a simulation of the course taught the Air Force trainees. Results…

Valid assessment of professional competence has proven to be an elusive goal. Objective tests, direct observation of performance, overall ratings of competence, and simulations have been tried and found wanting in one way or another. Objective test items are criticized as being unrealistic and therefore invalid. Direct observation tends to be very…

Results suggest that a significant proportion of observed race differences on some performance tasks may be attributable to a failure of many blacks to use spontaneously an efficient verbal strategy rather than a genetic reasoning deficit. (Author/DEP)

Instruction of large groups of students in the use of audiovisual (AV) equipment presents a problem when the students' performance can only be evaluated by individual examinations on actual equipment. An attempt was made, therefore, to develop an objective, paper-and-pencil test which would provide the same evaluation. Although students in a basic…

The relationships among variables for a group of first year medical students were examined. The variables included previous test-taking experience, test-taking training, test anxiety, and level of test wiseness. The study also provided initial normative data concerning the level of test anxiety among entering medical students for comparison with…

An investigation of: (1) the relationship between the American College Test (ACT) English Usage Test scores and demonstrated writing proficiency, and (2) the relationships between and among other objective tests and writing proficiency was undertaken, using three samples of college freshmen. Although results indicated a moderately high…

A proposed model for the validity of measures of professional competence treats validation as the evaluation of inferences drawn from test scores, focusing on evaluation, generalization, and extrapolation. The model is used to indicate strengths and weaknesses of assessments of professional competence: observations of performance, simulations, and…