Assessment and Education

Paper Summary:

This well-researched paper details the recent focus of the educational standards movement on the issue of assessment. The primary goal of the movement is to raise standardized test scores, but this is done without careful consideration of what the scores actually mean. The writer of this paper evaluates the effectiveness of the current educational process by focusing on the aspect of assessment and the vital role it plays in instruction and learning. Two defining criteria for solid assessment are validity and reliability. Validity is determined by how well an assessment measures what it is supposed to measure, including showing differences between test takers. Reliability is concerned with both the student performance and the scoring of the assessment. This paper discusses the matter of teacher shortages which augments the assessment problem. This paper also delves into the fact that many teachers are beginning their careers without certification and the only guidance they are given in assessment comes through the regular staff meetings that invariably include the latest information about how to raise standardized test scores. This paper examines the various strategies educators have at their disposal for combining assessment and learning. The writer contends that the end result should be more student-centered assessment which encourages the growth of each individual student. This also paper contains two illustrated graphs that relate to relevant assessment strategies.

Table of Contents:
Considerations When Designing and Using Tests
Connecting Assessment and Learning
Teaching to the Test: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Pretests
Personalized System of Instruction (PSI)
Differentiating Instruction for Select Students
Rubrics
Portfolios
Project-Based Assessment
Learning Should Not End With the Test
Split the Difference
Test Retake Opportunities
Project Revisions
Conclusion
References

From the Paper:

"Two defining criteria for solid assessment are validity and reliability. Validity is determined by how well an assessment measures what it is supposed to measure, including showing differences between test takers. In other words, do the test scores actually reflect each student's mastery of the material being assessed? Reliability of an assessment is determined by how consistent its results are. Reliability is concerned with both the student performance and the scoring of the assessment. If students take the same test on two different days, a reliable test will yield the same results. Also, two or more scorers will come to the same conclusion in scoring the assessment."

More papers on Assessment and Education:

• Term Paper # 135369 : "Assessment and Measurement of Student Learning"
• Research Paper # 108862 : "Alternative Assessment and ESL Students"
• Case Study # 108151 : "Educational Needs Assessment and Analysis"

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