Types of Test Learning Objectives Students will be

Types of Test

Learning Objectives • Students will be able to: Ø Discuss with examples kinds and uses of achievement test and aptitude test; Ø Differentiate between teacher-made test and standardized test; Ø Understand Low-Stake and High-Stake tests.

Types of Tests § Achievement Tests: Measures the attained ability § Aptitude Tests: Measures the potential ability

Achievement Test • A test of developed skill or knowledge. • For example, standardized test developed to measure skills and knowledge learned in a given grade level, usually through planned instruction, such as training or classroom instruction.

continued • Achievement test measures present proficiency, mastery and understanding of general and specific areas of knowledge. Achievement tests attempt to measure what and how individual has learnt, viz. his present standard of performance. • Scores of achievement test indicate the academic status of the individual learner in different subjects as a whole or individually.

Aptitude Test • Aptitude is a more general and stable cognitive trait. • For example, test for fighter pilot, ETEA, BMAT (Bio. Medical Admission Test in UK).

Aptitude tests are designed to predict what you can learn. Achievement tests are designed to assess what you have learned.

Top 2 Important Types of Achievement Tests 1. Teacher Made Tests 2. Standardized Tests

Teacher Made Tests • It is prepared to measure the outcomes and content of local curriculum. • It is very much flexible so that, it can be adapted to any procedure and material. • It does not require any sophisticated technique for preparation. • It is easy to construct. • These test are prepared to suit the local objectives.

continued • In teacher made test the test items, time limit, instruction and procedure of scoring vary from test to test. These tests may be written or oral in nature. In teacher-made test both objective type and essay type items can be included.

Standardized Tests • In the Dictionary of Education C. V. Good has described a standardized test is that “for which content has been selected and checked empirically for which norms have been established for which uniform methods of administering and scoring have been developed, and which may be scored with a relatively high degree of objectivity. ”

continued • Standardized tests are carefully constructed tests which have uniformity of procedure in scoring, administering and interpreting the test results. Generally these tests are “normreferenced tests that measure the pupils’ level of achievement in various content. And skill areas by comparing their test performance with the performance of other pupils in some general reference group. ”

continued • The test is developed by experts, test specialists so that the items are of high technical quality. • A clear instruction for administering and scoring the test is given to maintain uniformity in administering and marking. • Norms are provided in test manual.

Example • • • SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Testing ACT: American College Test GRE: Graduate Record Exam LSAT: Law School Admissions Test MCAT: Medical College Admissions Test PISA: Program of International Students Assessment. (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in member and non-member nations intended to evaluate educational systems It is an international assessment that measures 15 -yearold students' reading, mathematics, and science literacy every three years) • TIMSS: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study • IELTS • TOEFL

Pakistan • GRE (General/Subject) • ETEA • GAT

High-Stake and Low-Stake Tests • A high-stakes test is any test used to make important decisions about students, educators, schools, or districts, most commonly for the purpose of accountability—i. e. , the attempt by federal, state, or local government agencies and school administrators to ensure that students are enrolled in effective school