Topic outline

  • General

  • Week 1: Overview of Achievement Assessment

    Date: February 8 -15, 2022

    In preparation for our first face to synchronous session, please write a one page paper discussing the following:

    1. What is your perspective about student assessment and test construction?
    2. What is/are the role(s) of test construction in student assessment?
    3. Give one major test construction issue/concern that you think is not clear and you wish to discuss in class.

    • Please read Chapter 1 and 2 of Assessment of Student Achievement by Gronlund. A copy is available in the library.

    • Personal view of Student Assessment Assignment

      Please submit your first paper through this portal

      1. What is your perspective about student assessment and test construction?
      2. What is/are the role(s) of test construction in student assessment?
      3. Give one major test construction / student assessment issue that you think is not clear and you wish to discuss in class.
  • This topic

    Topic 1: Assessment Principles and Concepts

    Date: TBA

    We will discuss the major concepts, principles and issues you covered in your reading of the first 2 chapters of Gronlund's "Assessment of Student Achivement."

    Some of these concepts are:

    1. Formative and summative assessment
    2. Criterion Referenced and Norm Referenced grading
    3. Validity and Reliability
      • content validity
      • construct validity

  • Topic 2:Preparing for Achievement Assessment

    Synchronous Session

    Date: February 22

    Meeting ID: Same as first session

    Passcode:Same as first session

    At the end of this session you will be able to:

    Prepare a test blueprint for your Test Construction Project.

    Specifically:

    1. Identify outcomes to be measured.
    2. Construct a TBP or table of specification.
    3. Assign item distribution according to pre-specified criteria.

    Asynchronous and Synchronous Activities

    Pre-session individual preparation:

    • Please read about Test blueprint or view the TBP interactive presentation.
    • Read also on various test item formats.
    • Prepare to answer the following questions:
      • What is a test blueprint?
      • What is the importance of preparing a test blueprint for a planned student assessmemt?
      • When do you say that a test item is valid?
      • What are the different types of validity? How can they be addressed by your test blueprint/test specification?
      • What should you consider when deciding item distribution / allocation in the test blueprint?

    Group Activity: (Breakout Session Groups)

    • You will construct a test blueprint as a group. (Note: sample matrix and dimensions to be addressed should be based on listed program/session/topic ILOs) 
    Subject / Topic Cognitive Dimension (based on ILOs / Outcomes) Total
    Total

    • Prepare 1 test item representing each of the domain in the TBP.
    Test Dimensions
    Questions Remember Understand Apply Analyze
    Topic/Subject Sample Question Sample Question Sample Question Sample Question

    • Present your group output in class for discussion.

    NSF

  • Topic 3a: Constructing Test Items

    Topic: Constructing Test Items

    Time: 

    Meeting ID: 

    Passcode: 

    At the end of this topic students will be able to:

    General Outcome: 

    Formulate test items using multiple formats and according to test construction guidelines.

    Specifically:

    1. Discuss basic principles in constructing test items.
    2. Discuss the following test item formats:
      1. Multiple Choice Questions
      2. True - False Questions
      3. Extended R-Formats
      4. Essay Items
    3. Critique test construction items.

    • Preparing for the session:

      1. Please read recommended materials.
      2. Study the various guidelines in formulating test items.
      3. Review some of the test items you have constructed in the past and reflect on the following questions:
        • Are any of my items suffering from technical flaws?
        • What are the most common errors that I observed in my test items?
      4. Select some of the items you reviewed and you deemed technically flawed.
        1. Propose a revision
        2. Present your question (original and revised).
        3. Explain what guideline(s) have been violated by your item(s)

    • Classroom Activity:

      In this interactive session, you will share your own critique of questions you developed through the years. Your critique should focus on the construction of the items (technical flaws) and not on the validity of the item/s.

    • READING MATERIALS

      For additional details, please read assigned textbooks:

      1. Jacobs, L., Chase, C. (1992). Developing and Using Tests Effectively. Jossey-Bass Publication (pages 32 - 122)
      2. Marzano, R., Heflebower, T. (2012). Teaching and Assessing 21st Century Skills. Marzano Research.com.
    • Constructing Written Test Questions For the Basic and Clinical Sciences File

      Highly Recommended!

      Developed and distributed by the National Board of Medical Examiner, USA.

      A really comprehensive guide. 

    • POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

  • Topic 3b: Constructing Test Items

  • Topic 4: Determining the Minimum Passing Levels

    Session Date: TBA

    Topic Intended Learning Outcomes

    At the end of this session, students will be able to:

    1. Explain MPL in terms of:
      1. Concept
      2. Use/Importance
      3. Process
      4. Methods (Most popular)
          • Nedelsky
          • Angoff's
          • Ebel's
    2. Determine MPL for constructed test items.

    • Preparing for the Sesssion:

      • Read about standard setting (see reference below)
      • Try interacting with the MPL interactive Learning Object available below. The learning object will help you learn the three most common MPL setting approaches. Please be reminded that the learning object is designed to illustrate (in very simple way) the three approaches and is not a substitute to reading assigned readings.

      Session Activities:

      1. We will continue with the presentation of last remaining student constructed test items.
      2. After the presentation, we will discuss MPL by reviewing the learning object.
      3. Hopefully, we will be able to see MPL examples from students. Volunteers are welcome.

    • Determining MPL SCORM package

      MPL Interactive

      This is an interactive learning object I developed to illustrate how MPL is determined. Please take note that this is a simplified version and students are advised to read available materials for more details. This is my latest revision designed to correct major bugs that appear when material is deployed as an HTML material.

      Recommended Textbook (available in the library):

      • Bunch, Michel B., Cizek, Gregory J.,  (2007). Standard setting: A Guide for Establishing and Evaluating Performance Standards for Tests. Sage Publications.

  • Topic 5: Assigning Grades

    • Grading Interactive V4_22 SCORM package

      An interactive learning material on assigning grades and on making pass/fail decisions.

      This interactive package was developed by NSF using materials from Gronlund's book on Achievement Assessment.

    • Using Vlookup SCORM package

      An interactive session on how to use vlookup function of Excel to automatically generate grades.

  • Item Analysis

  • Special Topics

    Additional materials for topics discussed during the last session.

  • Final Paper

    Final instructions for the preparation of your final paper for this course.