Questions and Answers
What does 'test usefulness' refer to?
What are test specifications?
An outline of a test that includes a description of its content, item types, tasks, skills to be included, how the test will be scored, and how it will be reported to students.
Define elicitation modes.
The mode in which questions or prompts are asked in assessment (either oral or written).
What are response modes?
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What is a level check?
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Define probe in the context of assessment.
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What is the purpose of warm-up/wind-down items?
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What are selective responses?
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Define supply in assessment.
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What is a stem in a test item?
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What do options/alternatives refer to in a multiple-choice test?
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Define key in a multiple choice test.
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What are distractors in a multiple choice test?
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What does item facility refer to?
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Define item discrimination.
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What does item response theory study?
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What is distractor efficiency?
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Define standards-based assessment.
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What are performance levels?
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What are benchmarks?
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What does CASAS stand for?
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Define SCANS.
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What is high-stakes testing?
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What does consequential validity refer to?
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Define test bias.
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What is test-driven learning?
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Define test-driven teaching.
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Study Notes
Assessment Terminology and Concepts
- Test Usefulness: Refers to the practical application of assessments to achieve specific educational outcomes.
- Test Specifications: A comprehensive outline detailing assessment content, item types, scoring methods, and student reporting.
- Elicitation Modes: Methods in which questions or prompts are delivered during assessments (oral or written).
- Response Modes: The formats in which students reply in assessments, including oral and written responses.
- Level Check: Assessment items designed to evaluate specific educational objectives.
Assessment Item Types
- Probe: Items that assess knowledge beyond basic objectives, gauging deeper understanding.
- Warm-up/Wind-down: Non-scored questions used to ease students' anxiety before or after assessments.
- Selective Response: Test items where students choose from a list of provided responses.
- Supply: A response type requiring test-takers to select from predetermined options.
Assessment Structure
- Stem: The part of an assessment item that presents the question or prompt.
- Options/Alternatives: The potential answers in a multiple-choice format, usually labeled A, B, C, and D.
- Key: The correct answer in a multiple-choice item.
- Distractors: Incorrect answer choices designed to challenge test-takers in multiple-choice assessments.
Item Analysis
- Item Facility: Measures how easy or difficult an item is for a particular group of test-takers.
- Item Discrimination: Evaluates how well an item differentiates between high- and low-achieving students.
- Item Response Theory: Explores the relationship between abilities and responses to assessment items.
Assessment Effectiveness
- Distractor Efficiency: Assesses the effectiveness of distractors in misleading test-takers, particularly those with lower ability.
- Standards-Based Assessment: Focused procedures designed to evaluate specific competencies set in educational standards.
- Performance Levels: Criteria or standards that define expected achievement in assessments.
Assessment Standards
- Benchmarks: Established reference points or standards used to measure educational performance.
Specific Assessment Programs
- CASAS: The Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System, evaluating ESL programs across the U.S.
- SCANS: A set of workplace competencies developed by the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills.
Testing Impact
- High-Stakes Testing: The significant consequences that standardized tests impose on students, determining advancement or opportunity.
- Consequential Validity: The social and systemic effects resulting from a given assessment's implementation.
- Test Bias: The systematic disadvantage certain groups face due to test design or interpretation, adversely affecting students from diverse backgrounds.
Learning and Teaching Dynamics
- Test-Driven Learning: Positive motivation among students when performance on a test directly impacts their future opportunities.
- Test-Driven Teaching: Pressure on educators due to high-stakes tests, potentially leading to narrowed curricular focus.
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Description
Explore key concepts in language assessment with these flashcards. Learn about test usefulness, specifications, and elicitation modes. Perfect for educators and students involved in language testing practices.