e-Assessment, in the form of tools and systems that deliver and administer multiple choice questions (MCQs), is used increasingly, raising the need for evaluation and validation of such systems. This research uses literature and a series of six empirical action research studies to develop an evaluation framework of categories and criteria called…

This document presents issues that should be considered before student test results are used in evaluations of teacher performance. As the stakes attached to student test results have increased, so has the need for educators to make informed decisions about the types of tests used to generate data for these purposes and the way student test…

Assessments used for both clinical practice and research should show evidence of validity and reliability for the target group of people. It is easy to agree with this statement, but it is not always easy to choose the right assessment for the right purpose. Recently there have been increasing numbers of studies which investigate further the…

This report discusses the most relevant issues concerning student standardised testing in which there are no-stakes for students ("standardised testing") through a literature review and a review of the trends in standardised testing in OECD countries. Unlike standardised tests in which there are high-stakes for students, no-stakes implies that…

Nine preschool and school-age language assessment tools found to have acceptable levels of identification accuracy were evaluated to determine their overall levels of psychometric validity for use in diagnosing the presence/absence of language impairment. Eleven specific criteria based on those initially devised by McCauley and Swisher (1984) were…

Written language is a complex set of skills that facilitate communication and that are developed in a predictable sequence. It is therefore possible to analyze current skills, identify deficits, plan interventions, and determine the effectiveness of the intervention. To effectively accomplish these tasks, educators need to choose appropriate…

While formal, standardized assessment instruments provide valuable and necessary information about students' various abilities and skills, the use of informal and qualitative assessment approaches has the benefit of leading directly to instruction based squarely on an individual student's needs, strengths, and existing skills. This article…

Many schools are moving to develop benchmark tests to monitor their students' progress toward state standards throughout the academic year. Benchmark tests can provide the ongoing information that schools need to guide instructional programs and to address student learning problems. The authors discuss six criteria that educators can use to…

Compiles information about technical properties from test reviews and manuals and presents information about the nature of test passages, questions, and comprehension skills. (FL)

This book is intended primarily for classroom teachers and other personnel who work directly with teachers in selecting reading readiness tests or achievement tests. The first chapter lists and briefly explains the criteria used by the authors in reviewing the tests included. These criteria are concerned with norms, standardization, objectivity,…

Testing is a means of obtaining information about people and their status. Too often tests and testing govern us as educators rather than being governed by us. Reviews the problem and offers some suggestions. (Editor)

A team of technical experts should review the technical quality of proficiency examinations considered for assessing learning and granting college credit. The team should recommend approval or disapproval of the test; and if it is approved, recommend the level of test performance required in order to award credit. Information supplied by the test…

Makes six suggestions for selecting appropriate career assessment instruments in the areas of proper training, use of the right kind of standards, deciding what information is needed, getting written documentation about tests under consideration, careful evaluation of instruments, and becoming familiar with issues in career assessment. (ABL)

Career guidance testing should clarify options for career exploration, claim the authors. They suggest three criteria for tests used in career counseling, note recent applications of the criteria in commercially available tests, and advocate use of the "Counselor's Guide to Vocational Guidance Instruments" by guidance personnel seeking suitable…

Three areas of concern related to test bias and validity should be considered during the revision of the Standards for Educational and Psychological Tests. The first area concerns the sources and consequences of test bias. Five sources of bias have been identified: numerical bias, role bias, status bias, stereotypic bias, and familiarity bias. The…