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TESTING - TEST INSTRUMENT CHARACTERISTICS
Testing - Test instrument characteristics
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TESTING - TEST INSTRUMENT CHARACTERISTICS
Formal assessments are a method of analysis that we are all conversant with from education
experience. An example would be standardized norm-reference test which is directed to only
certain levels of study once a year. This trial is used to assess overall success, link a student's
score to their fellow counterparts, or find a gauge weakness and strengths. The second form of
formal assessment is criterion referenced tests, which help to make up for the blanks left by norm
referenced tests. It measures a student’s performance and compares it to a standard, instead of
another student.
The advantage of formal assessment is that all the resources are ready all the resources are the
same, and as each time taking the assessment must also be similar, there is little to worry about
in the case of standardized norm-reference test. Another advantage of norm-reference is that they
are used as comparisons between one student and another. The advantage of this is that
instructors have the benefit of knowing how each student compares to their peers.
Criterion referenced tests is a formal test that is able to identify a student’s field of expertise. As
one’s ability is tried against a standard, the scholar is measured against that standard and given a
suitable mark. Another advantage of this kind of formal assessment is criterion referenced tests,
which offer scholars with remarkably little obscurity as far as what they are being tried on in
exams. Therefore, the assessment of these trials is fair.
Formal assessment also has its disadvantage. One disadvantage of standardized norm-reference
test is the heavy reliance on multiple choice questions. The learner is not ever tested to come up
with the response themselves. A second disadvantage of this is that it measures the level that
learners are in at present, by gauging against where their peers are at in the present moment,
instead of the level the two students should be at.
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Criterion referenced tests also has a downfall since students find it as some of the most
threatening and stressful tests. Failing such a test can lead to the flanking a grade level or the
repetition of a whole concept. Again, it is developmentally time consuming, since a specific area
must be tested. It can take excessive time to define and map out the kinds of queries, and the
most suitable questions to quantify a scholar's mastery. Therefore, it can take a long time before
a test is restructured and new learners may end up taking the same tests their precursors took.
The second form of assessment is Informal assessment. Instead of being driven by data, informal
assessments are centered on content and performance. (Weaver, 2006) The first type of informal
assessment is writing samples. It’s advantageous as it is a great judge of the presentation of skills
learned. In addition, it has the advantage of evaluating a number of different ideas, instead of
assessing only one concept. A disadvantage is that, writing samples have time restrictions that
can limit what a learner is able to achieve. Some scholars write well in short amounts of time,
but, some don’t do well under pressure of time. Again, although it can examine grammar use, it
is next to impossible to widely judge a student’s ability to learn and understand on a history
class, for example.
Another form of informal assessment is homework. Its advantage is that, it allows time to gather
information as to the learners’ comprehension of a lesson. Again, It is easy to create and
implement, hence can be as easy to rank, as handing it back to the students, and revising the
answers. The disadvantage in this assessment is the unpredictability of students. Also, when
students use books and other material to do their homework it’s hard to assess them justly.
The third informal assessment is Debate. An advantage of this assessment is that, while written
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assignments cannot test ones oral skills, it is a good way for the educator to see in real time the
kind of growth and accomplishment a scholar is making verbally. In addition, when a debate is
held, an assessment of a scholar on the talents they have used to shape their information, and
how good they comprehend that information, and make it into an entire and persuading work. Its
flaw is that there is no written context for a teacher to follow. In addition, debates touch only the
oral part of a learner's development and cannot incorporate the context of a lesson or theory
unless that lesson is persuasive speech.
Lastly, the final formal assessment is experiments. Experiments allow students a chance to apply,
in a practical manner, what they have been taught. If a student’s experiment is fruitful after a
lesson on the concept, it indicates that the student has mastered the concept that was learnt.
Another advantage is that, experiments are easy to quantify as far as accomplishment goes. Its
disadvantage include is that it is expensive to carry out especially when it not only in the science
classes. In addition, experiments take a lot of time to do.
In conclusion, any assessment has advantages and disadvantages. None is entirely perfect. In
various forms of assessments, they are best when used in combination. No single one can give all
the information a teacher requires. When using both, teachers and learners can attain the utmost
benefits. These assessments put together can give educators the perception they require to pin
down areas of strength and weaknesses, and the kind of help they require to achieve the
standards stipulated by local and government education committees. Assessments are important
to education, without them both teachers and students suffer greatly.
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Works Cited
Weaver, B. (2006). Formal Versus Informal Assessments.
