The Use and Validity of Standardized Achievement Tests for Evaluating New Curricular Interventions in Mathematics and Science

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Sussman ◽  
Mark R. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Achievement Tests ◽  
Achievement Test ◽  
Summative Evaluation ◽  
Validity Evidence ◽  
Inappropriate Use ◽  
Standardized Achievement Tests ◽  
Curricular Interventions ◽  
Mathematics And Science

We investigated the use and validity of standardized achievement tests for summative evaluation of 78 educational intervention projects funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) math and science education program. Investigators from 46 projects evaluated curricular interventions with standardized achievement tests as outcome measures. Twenty-five of the projects had potential validity problems related to a misalignment between the achievement test and the intervention. A closer analysis of 11 of those projects flagged as high risk for validity problems showed that only 6 projects attended to the validity of the test, and only 1 project provided adequate validity evidence. We conclude that there is widespread inappropriate use of achievement tests that threatens the validity of educational evaluations. To better support innovation, evaluators must dedicate more attention to the validity of the outcome measures they use.

scholarly journals Algebraic competences and emotional intelligence of first year Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Science Education students at the Copperbelt University in Zambia

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-195
Author(s):  
Allan Musonda
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Science Education ◽  
Achievement Test ◽  
Self Report ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Bachelor Of Science ◽  
Mathematics And Science Education ◽  
Algebra Achievement ◽  
Mathematics And Science

This study examined the relationship between algebraic competences and emotional intelligence offirst yearBachelor of Science in mathematics and science education students at Copperbelt University in Zambia. All (143) first year Bachelor of Science in mathematics and science education students, in 2016, were purposively selected for the study. The study was motivated by evidence that students generally do not perform well in their first year university mathematics examinations despite the students having very good university entry grades in secondary school mathematics. This poor academic performance may be due to many factors. However, this study identified and focused on emotional intelligence as one such factor. Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to identify, assess and manage the emotions of one’s self, of others and of groups. It is argued that emotional intelligence represents an ability to reason with emotions and to use emotions to facilitate thought. On the other hand, Algebra was chosen as the focus of the study because of its centrality to the whole offirst yearuniversity mathematics content. Algebra is found in all branches of mathematics directly or indirectly. Therefore, the study explored the algebraic competences of the first year students and examined possible relationships with their emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), and algebraic competences were measured through a Grade 12 level algebra achievement test and a university level algebra achievement test constructed by the researcher. Data were analysed using non-parametric statistical techniques: Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation (rho) and the Mann-Whitney U Test. Results showed that there is a significant positive correlation between Grade 12 level andfirst yearuniversity level algebraic competences. Results also showed that there is no significant relationship between students’ algebraic competences and their emotional intelligence. Furthermore, the study reviewed that female students have higher levels of emotional intelligence than their male counterparts.Published online: 30 November 2017

scholarly journals Should Achievement Tests be Used to Judge School Quality?

2000 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott C. Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Language Arts ◽  
School Quality ◽  
Instructional Quality ◽  
Achievement Tests ◽  
Achievement Test ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Local Study ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Standardized Achievement Tests

This study provides empirical evidence to answer the question whether student scores on standardized achievement tests represent reasonable measures of instructional quality. Using a research protocol designed by Popham and the local study directors, individual test items from a nationally-marketed standardized achievement test were rated by educators and parents to determine the degree to which raters felt that the items reflect important content that is actually taught in schools, and the degree to which raters felt that students' answers to the questions would be likely to be unduly influenced by confounded causality. Three research questions are addressed: What percentage of test items are considered suspect by raters as indicators of school instructional quality? Do educators and parents of school-age children differ in their ratings of the appropriateness of test items? Do educators and parents feel that standardized achievement test scores should be used as an indicator of school instructional quality? Descriptive statistics show that on average, raters felt that the content reflected in test questions measured material that is important for students to know. However, for reading and language arts questions, between about 20% to 40% of the items were viewed as suspect in terms of the other criteria.

Standardized Achievement Tests: How Useful for Special Education?

1978 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 448-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Jenkins ◽  
Darlene Pany
Keyword(s):  
Reading Achievement ◽  
Achievement Tests ◽  
Achievement Test ◽  
Second Grade ◽  
Single Test ◽  
Exceptional Children ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
Standardized Achievement Tests

The extent and direction of curriculum bias in standardized reading achievement tests are examined. Bias was estimated by comparing the relative overlap in the contents of four separate reading achievement tests with the contents of five commercial reading series at first and second grade levels. Overlap between each achievement test and each reading series is reported in terms of achievement test grade equivalent scores that would be expected given mastery of the words that appear both as content in a reading series and as achievement test items. Results indicate clear discrepancies between the grade equivalent scores obtained, both between tests for a single curriculum and on a single test for different reading curricula. The implications of the apparent curriculum bias of achievement tests are discussed as they relate to evaluation of teachers, children, and curricula; to reading placement; and to the identification and classification of exceptional children.

Learning Disabled Students' Spontaneous Use of Test-Taking Skills on Reading Achievement Tests

1985 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Scruggs ◽  
Karla Bennion ◽  
Steven Lifson
Keyword(s):  
Reading Achievement ◽  
Achievement Tests ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Achievement Test ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Disabled Students ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Test Taking ◽  
Level Of Confidence ◽  
Resource Rooms

The present investigation was undertaken to identify the type of strategies learning disabled (LD) students employ on standardized, group-administered achievement test items. Of particular interest was level of strategy effectiveness and possible differences in strategy use between LD and nondisabled students. Students attending resource rooms and regular third-grade classes were administered items from reading achievement tests and interviewed concerning the strategies they had employed in answering the questions and their level of confidence in each answer. Results indicated that (a) LD students were less likely to report use of appropriate strategies on inferential questions, (b) LD students were less likely to attend carefully to specific format demands, and (c) LD students reported inappropriately high levels of confidence.

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