Q.2 What are the different types of tests and their use in educational measurement?
Course: Test Development and Evaluation
Course Code 6462
Level: B.Ed Solved Assignment
Answer:
TEST TYPES AND THEIR USE IN EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT
Evaluating students’ performance
is a key element of the assessment program. Assessment is an integral part of the educative process. In light of test results, several decisions have been
taken by educational managers, classroom supervisors, educational experts,s and
classroom facilitators to enhance the student’s performance, improve curricula,
to refine pedagogical skills for the healthy growth of the coming generation.
For this purpose, classroom tests
are very effective tools. To take a better and more fruitful decision is only possible
when we have information about teaching and learning practices and this information
is only achieved through tests.
Today, there are several types of
tests and it is hardly possible to classify them into different categories.
For example, norm and criterion-referenced tests, power and speed tests,
aptitude tests personality tests, intelligence tests, and tests for individuals
and groups. These tests are being used according to need and situation. There is
great significance in each type of test in the field of educational assessment.
Diagnostic tests are used to find weaknesses and strengths. Standardized and teacher-made tests are very popular
in the field of educational assessment nowadays. Commercially developed and
produced tests normed against standard populations are known as
standardized tests. These tests are highly reliable and valid and use to
measure students' performance on large scale. It is time-consuming and
expensive. The tests used by the teacher in daily classroom practice to assess
student achievement levels in concerning achieving objectives are called
teacher-made tests. These tests provide feedback that they can assess students’ performance, and their interest in studies, and the result of these tests take teachers' attention to make their teaching interesting and effective. We discuss here
subjective type and objective type tests. These tests can be further
subdivision as follows.
1. Essay Type Tests
a. Extended Response Items
b. Restricted Response Items
2. Objective Type Tests
a. Supply Type
i. Completion Items
ii. Short Answer
b. Selection Type
i. Matching Items
ii. True False Items
iii. Multiple-Choice Questions
Essay Type Tests
In essay-type tests, respondents
respond freely but in a lengthy way. Through essay-type tests, it is very easy
to measure high-level thinking skills such as applying, organizing, and
evaluating. It is not appropriate to measure knowledge-level outcomes. Students
can integrate and organize their ideas in the form of paragraphs of many pages in
detail and the teacher can evaluate the quality and accuracy of their responses.
Essay questions provide a clear
picture of complex learning outcomes. Creativity and expression of ideas in written form developed effectively through this typing test. It is easy to
prepare and coping is not possible. It can measure complex learning outcomes.
Essay-type tests are being used at the end of the semester or take-home tests with
flexible page limits maximum range of thirty pages. There are two main types of
essay-type tests restricted response questions and extended response questions.
I. Restricted Response Questions
Restricted response questions are
permanently restricted in terms of content and response. It measures more specific
learning outcomes and is more objective than extended response questions. Example
i. Describe the qualities of a good teacher.
ii. Explain the causes of ill literacy in Pakistan.
Advantages
It is more reliable and objective than an extended response and
covers a wide area of content. Scoring is easy and quick as compared to the extended
response.
II. Extended Response Questions.
Extended response questions allow the students to respond
freely in extended form in several paragraphs and answer the question in the best
way and organize their ideas effectively. Example
i. What measures can be taken to
enhance the quality of education in Pakistan?
ii. Evaluate the agricultural development of Pakistan and
correlate it to the economic development of Pakistan.
Advantages
These types of questions provide
complete freedom to respond. The writing power of students develops and argument
presentation ability is created among students. They demonstrate the ability to select and organize ideas, which can be constructed very quickly but scoring
is subjective.
Objective Type Tests
Objective-type tests are very
popular nowadays. They cover a lot of content areas. There are many forms of
objective-type tests. It develops all mental capacities of students because
students have to select one correct answer in given options. The scoring of
items is objective and the biases of the examiner have no effect on marking. The
construction of items is needed a skilled person. There are some rules and
techniques to prepare the items. There are two types of objective type tests.
1. Supply Type
2. Selection Type
1. Supply Type
A. Completion Items
Completion items are easy to
write. It is in form of a sentence in which one or more words have been left out
with blanks. The student fills blanks with the correct word. It is presented in an incomplete statement. It is most effective for assessing knowledge and
comprehension level learning outcomes. For example. The capital city of Pakistan is…………..
Advantages
The construction of questions is easy. Guessing is eliminated due
to recalling. The greater portion of content can be covered and take less time to
complete than multiple-choice items
Disadvantages
Completion questions usually encourage a relatively low level
of response complexity. And it is comparatively difficult to score.
B. Short answers
The short answer items require
pupils to supply an appropriate word, number, or symbol to direct questions or
incomplete statements. It is very effective to measure knowledge and
comprehension level outcomes but can be written for higher-level outcomes.
Example
i. The name of the first Governor General of Pakistan is.
Advantages
They are relatively easy to
construct for teachers. It reduces the possibility of guessing. It covers a greater amount of content and asses lower level learning outcomes.
Disadvantages
Scoring is tedious and time-consuming. Short answer items provide little opportunity for students to
synthesize, apply and evaluate.
2. Selection Type
A. Matching Items
Corey (1988) defines matching
items; “Matching test items are another popular selected response format. These
items require students to match the information in two columns. Items in the left-hand
column are called premises and those in the right-hand column are called responses.
Students are required to locate the correct response for each premise” It consists
of two parallel columns . A word, symbol, or number in one column is matched to a
word, sentence, or phrase in another column.
Advantages
Matching items are usually simple
to construct and score. They are ideally suited to measure associations between
facts. It reduces the effects of guessing.
Disadvantages
Matching items emphasizes memorization. It can assess
only factual information. It provides clues.
B. True False Items
Nit8ko (1983) defines, “A true-false item consists of statement or proposition which examinee must Judge and
mark as either true or false” There are two answers against each statement
right and wrong whatever form is given to it, if one answer is true and other
is false, it can be called true/false test. Example
I. Pakistan is a
developed country. T/F
II. Lahore is in Punjab. T/F
Advantages
It takes less time to construct. It covers wide sampling of
content. Scoring is mechanical so a high degree of objectivity is possible. It
measures simple learning outcomes.
Disadvantages
It allows a high degree of guessing (50 percent) as there are
only two choices. Copying is possible. It emphasizes the rote memorization of
knowledge and cannot measure complex learning outcomes.
c. Multiple Choice Questions
Gilbert Sax (1989) defines, “Multiple choice items consist
of two parts; a stem and number of options or alternatives. Stem is a question or
statement that is answered or completed by one of the alternatives. All
incorrect or less appropriate alternatives are called distracters or foils and the student's task is to select the correct or best alternative from all options”
Advantages
Multiple choice questions have
considerable versatility in measuring objectives from knowledge to evaluation
level. Since writing is minimized. A substantial amount of course material can
be covered in a short time. The scoring is highly objective. It reduces the chance of
guessing. Bluffing is not possible.
Disadvantages
These items are time-consuming to write. They can check superficial and limited knowledge. They cannot measure attitudes and motor skills. Intelligent examinees suffer if they choose incorrect answers due to ambiguities of words while poor examinees choose correct answers due to their limited knowledge.
Related Topics
Role of Assessment in the Teaching and Learning Process
Concept and Use of Taxonomies in Testing
Types and Steps in Portfolio Assessment
Define the term Reliability and its Importance and Scope of Reliability in Testing
What are the appropriate tools for Students' Evaluation
Procedure for Developing Standardized Tests
Difference between Accountability and Evaluation
Indicators of a Successful Project
Interviews can be used for Students' Evaluation
Purpose and Significance of Classroom Observations
Difference between Supply type and Selection type items in the Assessment
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