Compares instructions for taking a ninth-grade achievement test to the reality of the conditions in which the test was actually taken. (NKA)

In many African countries tests used as a selection examination for entrance to secondary and higher levels of education do not have content validity. The practices and problems of test development in Africa are discussed. The advantages of domain-referenced tests are examined. (RM)

An ethnographic study indicates that not all children's understanding of tests matches that of their teachers and their schools. Some testing problems experienced by minority children appear to relate to their lack of understanding or acceptance of tests as devices for judging personal success or failure in the classroom. (Author/GC)

The computer assisted testing (CAT) program at Florida State University's Assessment Resource Center is described. Three measurement issues (test quality, confidence in mastery decisions, and maintenance of test validity) and two instructional design issues (quality of instructional objectives and extended feedback following testing) important for…

Performance tests should be required for certification of all public and private school teachers. Tests that are validated against actual job performance--which evaluate actual knowledge, skills, and professional ethics that produce educational and social benefits--should be used. (CJB)

This document comments on the future of educational testing in the United States and the plans of the Bush administration for increased use of testing for educational accountability. The "achievement gap" does not appear to be closing. One of the keys to closing the gap is having the data to understand it so that teachers can use test…

Considerable testing occurs in the schools and in related educational settings. Schools are microcosms of society, and changes that affect society are also likely to affect the schools in similar ways. The composition of American society has been changing dramatically in recent years, and this particular change is one that has influenced schools…

A survey, designed to take approximately 15 minutes to complete, was administered to 1,656 elementary school teachers in Michigan to obtain information on a variety of topics related to student assessment and mandated state testing. Most of the teachers were employed in small suburban or urban schools, and 88% were employed in the public schools.…

The effect of calculator type on student performance on a mathematics examination was studied. Differential item functioning (DIF) methodology was applied to examine group differences (calculator use) on item performance while conditioning on the relevant ability. Other survey questions were developed to ask students the extent to which they used…

An indictment of the ways in which reading and mathematics standardized tests affect classroom curricula. (Author)

Analyzes the difficulties in trying to estimate which instruments yield dependable information about children and the misconceptions surrounding testing. (Author/RK)

Studies the effect of play-like, verbal-feedback, and nonverbal-feedback testing conditions on three creative ability measures using 175 lower-class preschool children, finding that most of the creativity measures used were unaffected by variations in testing conditions. (Author/JM)

Describes a framework for assessment within which direct, continuous, naturalistic observation of behavior provides many of the advantages one seeks in evaluation. (Author/JM)

Author attempts to determine whether testing perpetuates a misevaluation of children's abilities. (Editor/RK)

The hypothesis that it is unwise to change answers to multiple choice questions was tested using multiple regression analysis. The hypothesis was rejected as results showed that there are gains to be made by changing responses. (Author/CK)