Course Outline

Course Title

Measurement and Evaluation

Course Description

The course equips the students with knowledge and skills in constructing different classroom tests, and in employing the essentials of measurement in order to evaluate the children’s achievement.

Number of Units

3 units

Prerequisite Course

Psy 12 – General Psychology

Course Objectives

At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:

• Describe the different types of paper-and-pencil tests are often employed when assessing students specially young children
• Match learning objectives with test items
• Create reliable and valid instruments
• Interpret results of standardized tests
• Evaluate tests

Topics

1. Introduction
   (Measurement vs. Testing vs. Assessment vs. Evaluation; Different types of psycho-educational tests)



2. Review of basic statistical concepts relevant to educational measurement


1. Summarizing Data Using Tables and Graphs
2. Describing Data Numerically: The Four Sets of Measures
3. Z-Scores and the Normal Distribution
4. Linear Correlation



3. Measuring Learning Outcomes
   (Review of previously learned taxonomies of educational objectives; Table of specifications: The test’s “blue print”, Matching instructional and testing objectives)
   
   
   
4. Writing Test Items


1. General Item-writing Guide
   
   
2. Selected-response Tests
   
   
1. Binary Choice (e.g. True-False)
2. Matching
3. Multiple Choice
   
   
3. Constructed-response Tests
   
   
1. Completion / Short-answer
   
2. Essay
   



5. The Classical Test Theory and Test Reliability



6. Test Validity



7. Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) and Accuracy



8. Evaluation and Improvement of the Written Test



9. Short Introduction to Performance-based Assessment

Course Requirements

• Active Class Participation
• Major Exams
  
• Final Paper
  
• View sample letter
• View sample encoded data
  (CD 115 Quiz 1 answers of 50 randomly selected students)
• View final paper instructions.
  (Sample answers using CD 115 Quiz 1 data were provided)
  

Grading System

• 65% Class Average
  
• 35% Final Paper Grade
  

References

• Anastasi, A. & Urbina, S. (1997). Psychological testing. (7th ed.). NJ: Prentice-Hall.
• Bridgemena, B. (1992). A comparison of quantitative questions in open-ended and multiple choice formats. Journal of educational measurement, 29 (3), 253-271.
• Dolly, J. & Willimas, K.S. (1986). Using test-taking strategies to maximize multiple-choice scores. Educational and psychological measurement, 46 (3), 619-625.
• Downie, N. M. & Heath, R. W. (1984). Basic statistical methods. (5th Ed.). NY: Harper &
  Row. Philippine Reprint, National Bookstore.
• Green, K. (1984). Effects of item characteristics on multiple-choice item difficulty. Educational and psychological measurement, 44 (3), 551-561.
• Hambleton, R.K. & Daniel, R.I. (1978). Guidelines for evaluating criterion-reference tests and test manuals. Journal of educational measurement, 15 (4), 321-327.
• Linn, R.L. (1993). Testing and instruction: Links and distinction. Journal of educational measurement, 20 (2), 179-189.
• Linn, R.L. & Gronlund, N.E. (2000). Measurement and assessment in teaching (8th ed.). NJ: Prentice-Hall.


• Kubiszyn, T. & Borich, G., (2004). Educational testing and measurement: Classroom application and practice. (7th ed.). Singapore: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Mentzer, T.L. (1982). Response biases in multiple-choice test item files. Educational and psychological measurement, 42 (2), 437-448.
• Popham, W.J. (2002). Classroom assessment: What teachers need to know. (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn-Bacon.
• Plake, B.S. & Huntley, R.M. (1984). Can relevant grammatical cues result in invalid test items? Educational and psychological measurement, 44 (3), 687-696.
• Ruiz-Primo, M.A., Baxter, G.P. & Shavelson, R.J. (1993). On the stability of performance assessments. Journal of educational measurement, 30 (1), 41-53.
• Sax, G. (1997). Principles of educational and psychological measurement and evaluation. (4th ed.). Singapore: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
• Toffelson, N. (1987). A comparison of the item difficulty and item discrimination of multiple-choice items using the “None of the Above” and one correct response options. Educational and psychological measurement, 47 (2), 377-383.
• Ward, W. C. (1982). A comparison of free-response and multiple-choice forms of verbal aptitude tests. Applied psychological measurement, 6 (1), 1-11.
• Zeidner, M. (1987). Essay versus multiple choice type classroom exams: The students’ perspective. Journal of educational research, 80 (6), 352-358.