Testing in Adult Basic Education : Summary Research Report / Carolyn Ehringhaus.

A study was conducted to identify adult basic education (ABE) teachers' perceptions of the positive and negative results of formal testing and to obtain descriptive information concerning typical testing practices in U.S. ABE programs. One thousand twenty surveys, in packets of 20 each, were mailed to 50 ABE state directors and the District of Columbia director of ABE. Eighty-one percent of the directors indicated they would foward the surveys to programs within their states and the district. Of the 840 questionnaires forwarded and presumably disseminated to teachers through local program coordinators, 51 percent of the questionnaires were completed. The respondents can be characterized as predominantly female (83.3 percent), college-educated (93.9 percent), and teacher-certified (87.4 percent). Their average age was 45.08 years, they had taught ABE an average of 8.32 years, and they spent an average of 11.94 hours in test-related activities each month. The following were among the findings reported: (1) the teachers perceived testing as most effective for functions that relate directly to initial student placement, selction of appropiate instructional materials, and instructional planning; (2) the repondents believed that the use of formal testing entails costs for students, programs, and instruction, due to student anxiety and problems of self-esteem and motivation; (3) formal testing was most often used by respondents for the purpose of starting students at the right level; and (4) 78 percent of respondents rated their programs' use of formal testing as effective. (CML)

Microfiche. [Washington D.C.]: ERIC Clearinghouse microfiches : positive.