A Systems Approach to Educational Testing. Technical Report No. 2 / John R. Frederiksen and Allan Collins.

The validity of educational tests used as critical measures of educational outcomes within a dynamic system is discussed. Validity becomes a problem if an educational system adapts itself to the characteristics of the outcome measures. The concept of systematically valid tests is introduced; these t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Frederiksen, John R.
Collins, Allan (Author)
Corporate Author: Center for Technology in Education, New York, NY
Language:English
Published: [Place of publication not identified] : Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse, 1990.
Subjects:
Cognitive Development.
Cognitive Tests.
Educational Assessment.
Educational Change.
Elementary Secondary Education.
Outcomes of Education.
Skill Development.
Student Evaluation.
Systems Approach.
Test Construction.
Test Validity.
Testing Problems.
Opinion Papers.
Reports, Evaluative.
Genre:
Opinion Papers.
Reports, Evaluative.
Physical Description:12 pages
Format: Microfilm Book
Description
Summary:
The validity of educational tests used as critical measures of educational outcomes within a dynamic system is discussed. Validity becomes a problem if an educational system adapts itself to the characteristics of the outcome measures. The concept of systematically valid tests is introduced; these tests induce curricular and instructional changes in education systems and learning strategy changes in students that foster the development of the cognitive traits the tests are designed to measure. Two characteristics are analyzed that contribute to or detract from a testing system's systemic validity: (1) use of direct rather than indirect cognitive assessment; and (2) the degree of subjectivity or judgment required to assign a score to represent the cognitive skill. These characteristics are then applied in developing design principles for creating systematically valid testing systems. These principles are illustrated in the design of a student assessment system that includes the means of teaching the process of assessment to system users. A list of 29 references is attached. (SLD)
Note:Sponsoring Agency: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (edition), Washington, DC.
Contract Number: OERI-1-135562167-A1.
Microform.
Call Number:ED325484 Microfiche
Reproduction Note:
Microfiche. [Washington D.C.]: ERIC Clearinghouse microfiches : positive.