Ch10: Assessing Achievement & Aptitude

Profile of American Youth project (PAY)

ASVAB and Department of Defense project that uses two samples, Enlisted Training Program and Career Exploration Program. Massive samples, and known for its exceptional quality.

NCLB (2001)

Act that's purpose was to ensure all children had fair, equal opportunity to obtain high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards, and state academic assessments. Focused on educational accountability by examining progress of individual students. Each state had to develop measurable AYP (adequate yearly progress) objectives. APA argues this is high stakes testing.

Common Core (2009)

Act/education plan implemented with the purpose of developing rigorous, consistent real-world learning goals to ensure ALL students would graduate high school prepared for college or a career. Developed by state governors. Used in MOST, not ALL states. Doesn't stipulate how to teach or how to assess student learning.

Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)

An adult achievement test that offers a survey version or complete battery, and levels of limited-advanced literacy. Designed to correspond with GED and assess academic areas (vocabulary, math); progress in literary education, and work-related basic skills or problem solving skills.

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

An aptitude test that is well-established and widely used as a predictor of college performance. Est. in 1926. Middle word changed from "Aptitude" to "Achievement" in 1994 to disencourage notion that test would measure innate aptitudes. Its main purpose is to provide a common, standard to which students could be compared b/c subject matter of high schools and grading procedures vary so widely.

Admissions; typical

Effective counselors using scholastic aptitude assessments with high school students must have knowledge of ___________ requirements for colleges, and ______ test scores for those colleges.

Resemblance

In general, studies of test coaching have found mixed and inconsistent results. One consistent finding is that the closer the _______ of coaching material to the actual test content, the greater improvement of test scores. Overall, however, significant change only happens if programs are longer and content is closely aligned with material on test. Reviewing material on own can be as effective and less expensive.

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - 3 (WIAT-3)

Individual achievement test for ages 4-adulthood; 16 subtests; purpose is to use informed decisions about eligibility for services for learning disabled; placement and diagnosis of specific learning disabilities.

Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement-3 (KTEA-3 2014)

Individual achievement test for ages K-12; purpose was to diagnose learning disabilities, and provides a measure of all 8 learning disabilities of IDEA 2004, 3 learning disabilities of DSM; and is mapped to the Common Core Standards. Also created an IQ test.

Discrepancy model

Model of diagnosing learning disabilities used in the past, where a learning disability was indicated when a person not achieving at levels consistent with his or her abilities or intelligence; looked at the discrepancy between intelligence and achievement. Needed 2 SDs between achievement level and intellectual level for learning disability status.

Response-to-intervention (RTI)

Re-vamped model of diagnosing learning disabilities, that resulted of 2014 revision of IDEA. Focused on schools using data (i.e. classroom activities, achievement tests) to identify students at risk for poor learning outcomes. Teachers then monitored student progress and provided evidence-based interventions. Offered a multi-level prevention system for those NOT making adequate progress.

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Regarded as "the nation's report card" since its creation in 1969: reports on achievement of the nation, and examines performance of demographic subgroups, and tracks trends in educational progress; post-NCLB movement, and state tests vary, so every few years if selected a school must take it.

Afford

Significant differences in test scores have been found between those who engage in expensive coaching versus those who don't. Members of a group that can _______ a program are probably more affluent and have access to other resources that may increase scores (i.e. tutoring)

Aptitude batteries

Some vocational aptitude tests are designed to measure ONE aptitude, or predict performance in one single occupational area. i.e. psychomotor tests for lower-level manual skills, but not higher. ________ _________ are used when clients don't want to take multiple one-subject aptitude tests. These assess multiple aptitudes and predict performance in MORE than one occupations. Helps assess strengths, limitations, and potentials.

Test sophistication

Term used to describe an individual's level of knowledge in test-taking skills; not related to knowledge of context, but the format of test and skills required for maneuvering through that format. Found individuals with test taking experience perform better; findings indicate those who can afford test sophistication training have an advantage.

High-stakes testing

Term used when tests are used to make major decisions, such as in the major #1 issue with standardized testing: achievement tests used to assess educational accountability, and whether schools and teachers are performing adequately, instead of just individual student assessment.

Norming

Test developers must have sufficient number of "successful" individuals to have an adequate ________ group.

ACT Inc.

The aptitude assessment that is a standards-based educational and career planning tool that assesses students' academic readiness for college. Considered the "capstone of college and career readiness system." Includes top-4 institution choice information to compare how student does compared to those accepted there. Has students take an interest inventory, as well: lists college majors and occupational fields.

GRE

The aptitude assessment that is designed to predict performance in graduate school, as compared to undergraduate performance. Computer administration: one of the first exams to take advantage of computer-adaptive assessment. Scoring takes into account # of correct responses and difficulty of items.

Interest

The most pertinent issue with any aptitude instrument is the degree to which it predicts relative to the criterion of ________.

Psychoeducational

The most prevalent use of individual achievement tests and diagnostic achievement tests is with ___________ screenings for learning disabilities, cognitive handicaps, or behavioral disorders.

1) job duties within an occupation vary (on organization, setting, etc.) 2) if the instrument to be used to predict performance in an occupation, then test needs to be validated with information from people successfully in that occupation (and it's hard to define "successfully." 3) job performance is not measured in unidimensional manner.

There are vocational aptitude tests w/ a primary purpose of employment selection. This is difficult because of what three things? (JVP)

ASVAB

This vocational aptitude battery test is the most widely used in the U.S. The Department of Defense offers an Exploration Program free, and the DoD consulted with noted researchers in vocational psychology to produce this comprehensive career program that is competency based. Targets 10-12th graders. Students take this, then interpret the Find Your Interest inventory (based off of Holland's). Also provides Military Entrance Score; Career Exploration Scores; noted for superior norms and validity.

Evidence-centered assessment design

Type of approach used in educational assessment, such as the Common Core, that focuses on evidentiary arguments based on individual constructs with attention on potential influence of unintended constructs.

Coaching

Type of test preparation: training/practice on questions that are the same/similar to items on test. Intent is to help the test taker do well, not to master the content.

Education

Type of test preparation: when domains/areas are covered more broadly with the intent of learning content.

Computer adaptive test

Type of test used in the Common Core curriculum assessment; adapts next question based on student's previous response (to make more or less challenging).

Work Keys

Vocational aptitude test: job skills assessment system primarily used in selection, hiring, and training employees. Used with the ACT, which has one of the largest occupational profile databases. Assesses both cognitive and noncognitive skills. If you do well on 3 scales, get issued "National Career Readiness Certificate," issued by the ACT, and recognized by employers for entry-level status.

Differential Aptitude Test (DAT)

Vocational aptitude test; could be joined with Career Interest Inventory, or alone. Gives a scholastic aptitude score found to be highly correlated with achievement tests and high school/college GPAs. High reliability (0.80-0.90). Decreased use because predictive validity conspicuously absent.

Multiple; one

When assessing the validity of scholastic aptitude tests, it's been found that ______ predictors are better than _____. i.e. the combination of GRE scores + undergrad scores; high school grades + all 3 SAT section scores. ACT & SAT shown to have about the same validity: 0.30-0.50 correlation btwn those and freshman GPAs.

Achievement; aptitude

______ tests measure acquired learning, while _____ tests measure potential/the ability to learn. Difference is in the PURPOSE not the content.

Vocational

________ aptitude tests are used in career counseling to predict job or occupational performance.