Ddeliberto@AOL.COM wrote:
>
> In a message dated 97-07-29 16:34:29 EDT, rotman@ALPHA.LANSING.CC.MI.US (Jack
> Rotman) writes:
>
> << As much as I like to use other forms of test items, please don't be
> quite so judgemental about multiple choice items. We use a mixture of
> multiple choice and other types of questions in most of our classes, and
> we also try to implement 'critical thinking'. Guess which variety is
> used the most for measuring critical thinking?? Multiple choice!!
>
> I certainly agree that multiple choice items can be written to measure a
> very, very low level of knowledge; I would also assert that a multiple
> choice item can be written to measure a deeper understanding of the
> material than most short-answer types.
>
> IF a course uses STRICTLY multiple-choice items, this probably does
> place some restrictions on the learning that can be assessed -- but the
> limits are probably not what we would first think of.
>
> IF we are going to criticize any particular testing method, we should
> criticize those tests and quizes which we write in a hurry with the
> assumption that they measure what we thought was important. I suspect
> we have all written some very bad items, simply due to not thinking
> enough about each item.
>
> Thanks for reading this far! (Hopefully, it was helpful.) >>
>
> I couldn't agree more with your comments above. Not only have I found
> multiple choice items to be quite effective in measuring reasoning skills but
> I also consider it imortant to include a variety of different item types on
> each test. My rationale is simple: Most standardized tests use multiple
> chioice items and I believe that it is important to expose my students to the
> common item-types found on standardized tests. However, I never realized how
> important it was to include well designed multiple choice items until I
> reviewed the results of statewide assessment programs and determined how many
> bright students did horribly on multiple choice items. Now I feel that if we
> do not include at least some multiple choice items from time to time, we are
> definitely doing our students a disservice. The key is that the items must
> be well constructed and from my experience as a test development specialist,
> writing good multiple choice items is not as easy as most people think.
>
> I firmly believe that teacher education programa need to place more emphasis
> on test construction, especially with the recent trend for alternative
> assessments. One week is not enough! As part of a student teaching
> experience, the student teacher under the mentorship of a cooperating
> teacher, should develop as many tests as possible (with a variety of item
> types) which should be reviewed and discussed with the student's college
> advisor. The grading system and scoring rubrics should also be discussed
> with an emphasis on reliability and validity. My experience is that most
> high teachers (and I would suggest junior high and elementary teachers as
> well) do not have a clue how to design appropriate assessments. I would be
> delighted to write and publish a book on Good Testing Design if the majority
> of educators agree with me that such a need exists.
>
> Some of the item formats I suggest in testing are as follows:
> Multiple Choice - (as discussed above)
> Extended Multiple Choice - (also known as Roman Numeral Format of I Format in
> some testing programs)
> Quantitative Comparisins - (these are great for testing reasoning without
> requiring a great deal of compution; check out the SAT for good examples of
> this underused item type)
> Short Constructed Response - (commonly known as Fill-Ins)
> Extended Constructed Respose - (these requires explanations and partial
> credit is generally given using a rubric)
> Open-Ended Questions - (same as Extended Constructed Response but these allow
> for multiple answers and multiple approaches and require some skill in order
> to write good ones)
>
> The SAT contains a variation of the last two types which are referred to as
> Student Produced Responses (SPR's) The student actually grids the answer or
> one of the possible answers (if more than one correct answer is possible) on
> the answer sheet.
>
> My firm also provides staff development and training with respect to test
> development / validation and test administration at very reasonable rates.
>
> Deanna M. De'Liberto
> Assessment Specialist
> D SQUARED ASSESSMENTS, INC.
> (Specilaists in Test Development / Validation and Test Administration)
> 9 Bedle Road, Suite 250
> Hazlet, NJ 07730-1209
> Phone: (732) 888-9339
> Email: Ddeliberto@aol.com
>
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