Chapter 10 (Ability Testing: Academic Aptitude and Achievement) Book Notes

How is the SAT scored?

- The first 2 components (Reading & Writing/Language) are combined as 1 of the 2 section scores -Math is the other section score -Each score ranges from 200-800, for a sum section score of 400-1600

Iowa Assessments

-2012 rebranding of Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED) -tests are designed to measure basic educational skills, including vocabulary, reading, language, and mathematics for the early grades, with the addition of social studies, science, and information utilization tests for the upper grades.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

-2015 -legislation guiding high-stakes testing today -replaced the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act to allow for greater flexibility in performance indicators as well as the ability of states to design accountability and intervention processes

True or false: The distinction between aptitude and achievement tests is absolute

-FALSE - Some aptitude tests are based on a generally standardized prior experience, whereas some achievement tests are designed to measure certain generalized educational experiences that are not especially uniform in nature. Ex. ACT= scholastic aptitude test designed to predict success in college, but it represents subject matter taught in all high schools

Professional School Tests Exs

-Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) -Dental Admission Test (DAT) -Law School Admission Test (LSAT) -Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

Miller Analogies Test (MAT)

-another test for selection of grad students -120 complex analogy items (specific subject matter across fields) -60 minute time limit

GRE-V

-measures the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize written material and to analyze relationships among sentence parts or among words or concepts -reading comprehension, text completion, and sentence equivalence question types

TerraNova 3 norming

-normed with U.S. sample of approximately 200,000 students stratified by ethnicity, geographic region, community type, socioeconomic status, and special needs --> no gender/ethnic differences in scores

MAT is a ____ test, not a speed test

-power -because it includes items of considerable difficulty to resulting scores differentiate reliably to people with superior intellect

Stanford Achievement Test Series, 10th edition (Stanford 10)

-series of achievement tests from kindergarten through Grade 12 -Each test battery contains diff subtests -Each composed of 8-10 untimed subtests yielding total scores in six or seven subject areas -mix easy and difficult questions to reduce frustration

2 graduate admissions tests used today:

-the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) -Miller Analogies Test

Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT)

-typically taken in 10th/11th grade -trial run/practice for SAT -help students choose which colleges to consider -initial step in qualifying for National Merit Scholarships

Basic Achievement Skills Inventory (BASI)

-used with adults and students -includes six subtests assessing language, reading, and mathematics skills

How does GPA compare across college institutions?

-very different from college to college depending on competition ex. a student obtaining an honors GPA of 3.4 at one institution could easily fail out of a much more competitive institution.

ACT- Science Reasoning consists of

40 items dealing with concepts from biology, physics, and chemistry

High-stakes testing

Achievement tests used (and often misused) in attempts to evaluate the quality of the curricula and instruction within courses, programs, schools, or school systems

GRE: graduate school admission and ________: school achievement. a. TerraNova 3 b. LASSI c. SAMS d. WAIS

a. TerraNova 3

New SAT and ACT measure ___

achievement (based on HS curriculum)

Old SAT used to assess ___

aptitude

Two forms of ability tests:

aptitude and achievement

Achievement Assessment

attempts to measure learning that takes place under relatively standardized conditions or as a result of a controlled set of experiences

Generally, ________ refers to previous learning and ________ to learning ability. a. aptitude; achievement b. achievement; aptitude c. aptitude; intelligence d. intelligence; aptitude

b. achievement; aptitude

Which of the following is not an aptitude test used in higher education? a. SAT b. ACT c. PACT d. PSAT

c. PACT

It is important for school counselors to discuss with students the level of ___ a student might meet if they are admitted to a particular school

competition

ACT began ___ administration in 2015

computer

The function of high-stakes testing is to: a. Ensure state curriculum b. Provide information for college requirements are met. admissions. c. Create educational opportunities for students who have experienced educational inequity. d. Both a and c.

d. Both a and c.

Achievement tests available nationally (by publishers) are subjected to item discrimination and item difficulty testing in order to decrease....

gender and ethnic bias

Most studies have found that ______ are the best predictors of college GPAs but that scholastic aptitude tests are able to improve the prediction over high school GPAs or high school ranks alone

high school grades

Correlations between SAT/ACT score and college GPAs tend to be ___ at institutions with more heterogeneous freshman classes

higher ***particularly at the very highly selective institutions with restricted ranges of student scores

What are academic aptitude tests designed to measure?

learning ability (although such ability is usually related to that which has already been developed at the time of testing)

What is the reliability measure of MAT?

magnitude of .90

GRE-Q

measures the ability to problem-solve and understand basic mathematical concepts, with attention to mathematical computation and data analysis.

Adult Basic Learning Examination (ABLE)

provides assessment of adult learning in vocabulary, reading comprehension, spelling, language, number operations, and problem solving

How do norms work for GRE testing?

vary greatly among institutions and among specific departments

What are achievement tests designed to measure?

what has already been learned or knowledge or skills that have been attained

Study Habits Inventories

-allow students to compare study habits to others -use as a teaching tool -point out weaknesses for improvement Ex. Study Attitudes and Methods Survey, College Student Inventory, Learning and Study Strategies Inventory

Iowa Early Learning Inventory (IELI)

-also produced from the University of Iowa Testing Program -brief observational instrument to be completed by kindergarten or early first-grade teachers to measure six behavioral areas related to school learning -areas are general knowledge, oral communication, written language, math concepts, work habits, and attentive behavior

TerraNova Tests

-assess academic achievement from kindergarten through Grade 12 -3rd edition now -includes assessments of reading, language, mathematics, science, and social studies for all school grades using both multiple-choice and student-constructed response items for four versions -15 mins - 4 hours range for subtest

What is school counselors' role in high stakes testing?

-be aware of students' anxiety and stress levels as they approach the tests.

SAT

-been used since 1926 -4 hour, primarily multiple choice test with 4 major sections

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

-graduate level admissions test -used in selecting students for admission into graduate school and into specific graduate departments

Why is it not surprising that scholastic aptitude test scores would add to prediction of college success?

-high school GPA score depended on a lot (the general competitiveness of the high school attended, the grading curve used in that high school, and the types of courses taken, as well as other personal factors) -national college test = common task for all students and therefore can operate as a correction factor for the high school GPA.

Content Validity

-how ACHIEVEMENT tests are evaluated -the extent to which the test includes content similar to that which the test takers are expected to have experienced

Predictive Validity

-how APTITUDE tests are measured -the extent to which success in whatever it is the aptitude test attempts to measure can be predicted from the test results

Why is using GRE scores to predict success in grad school difficult?

-likely restriction of range within particular depts, because GREs and undergrad GPAs that are low are automatically kicked out -grad school GPAs may be restricted in range because grades of A and B are often the only grades given

Functions of high stakes testing

-making sure kids are learning the right things -giving teachers/stakeholders info about student performance -ensuring taxpayers' money is used appropriately -providing info to communities about school quality

Academic Achievement Tests

-many students take standardized achievement tests during first 12 years of schooling -identify strengths/weaknesses in students -can be selected for remedial or advanced classes based on these

GRE-W

-measures critical thinking and analytical writing skills. -This section includes tasks related to analyzing issues and arguments

ETS's Test of English as a Foreign Language

-paper in pencil since 1960s; now internet -for international students who have applied for admission to U.S. colleges and universities -All 4 necessary English skills needed for success in American institutions are tested (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and a Written Essay)

How much do scholastic aptitude test scores matter?

-parents/students over-emphasize them... -really most highly selective institutions need very high scores

Scholastic Aptitude

-particularly important in aptitude testing -because academic/scholastic aptitude is significantly related to achievement in educational programs

Students who are "left-behind"

-purpose of high stakes testing is to catch these students -testing can be a "vehicle of change"

big fish-little pond effect

-refers to the notion that those who attend high-ability colleges or universities will have lower academic self-concepts than similar peers in less competitive colleges or universities -may not always be desirable for students to attend most competitive program

Many parents & students believe that students should attend the highest status institution for which they are admitted... research suggests:

-this is not the wisest move -when holding ability constant, studies show that students who attended an institution at which they fell in the bottom portion of the students at that institution were less likely to go on and attend graduate or professional school than those students who had attended an institution at which they were closer to or above the middle of the distribution

ACT

-used to be called "American College Testing", but now just known as ACT to represent myriad tests the company publishes -most colleges accept both scores, but this is more often used in the Midwest and less on East Coast

SAT standard error

-vicinity of 30 -suggesting that just over two thirds of the time the student's true score will fall within 30 points in one direction or the other from the obtained score.

4 sections of the SAT

1. Reading (read passages & interpret graphics) 2. Writing and language (review passage and identify/fix mistakes/weaknesses) 3. Math (solve algebraic functions, problem solve, analyze data) 4. Essay (read a passage and develop persuasive argument; optional area required by some colleges)

SAT also has 3 scores related to the first 3 areas (Reading, Writing & Language, and Math) that range from

10 to 40 per area

SAT has 3 SAT essay scores related to reading, analysis, and writing, which range from

2 to 8 per area

Mean score for college-bound students who take the ACT is approximately ___

21 on each of the 4 academic tests and the composite score (SEM = 2 for academic tests, 1 for composite score)

SAT has ___ subscores, which can be considered subscales of the first three components, with scores ranging from 1 to 15

7

What does SAT stand for (the new version)

Scholastic Aptitude Test (old version was SAT-1, stood for Scholastic Assessment Test... redundant)

Adult Achievement Testing exs

Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE 9/10), the Adult Basic Learning Examination (ABLE), and the Basic Achievement Skills Inventory (BASI)

True or False: Ability tests typically used for higher education admissions serve both to measure previous learning and to predict learning ability.

True

True or False:All of the national batteries of achievement tests are highly reliable, with interrater reliability typically exceeding .90 per content domain and KR-20 reliabilities yielding adequate reliability for subtests overall

True

True or False: The ACT and the SAT are approximately equal in their ability to predict college grades.

True -typical correlation ranging in the vicinity of .30 to .50 for freshman grade point averages (GPAs)

Three portions of GRE:

Verbal Reasoning (GRE-V), Quantitative Reasoning (GRE-Q), and Analytical Writing (GRE-W)

ACT-Math consists of 60 items from:

prealgebra, intermediate algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.

Aptitude tests are generally used for ___ purposes

prediction

four types of quantitative reasoning questions on GRE

quantitative comparison, multiple-choice options, and numeric entry and two types of data interpretation questions that are presented as multiple choice or numeric entry

SAT-II subject tests

-1 hour -20 specific test subjects (e.g. bio, spanish) -1 or more required by some colleges -five areas: math, science, English, history, and languages

Metropolitan Achievement Tests (METROPOLITAN8)

-13 overlapping batteries from kindergarten through Grade 12 -battery consists of a varying number of subtests in basic skills areas beginning with reading, mathematics, and language to which science and social studies are added in the early primary grades and research skills and thinking skills are added in the remaining grades, yielding a total of seven achievement areas

GRE general test scoring

-130-170 scale (GRE-V and GRE-Q sections) -GRE-W section is reported on a 0-6 score scale -Scores are reported in 1-point and 0.5-point increments for the GRE-V/GRE-Q and GRE-W sections, respectively

ACT consists of:

-4 academic achievement tests -an interest inventory -questionnaire regarding student backgrounds and plans

College-Level Achievement Tests

-Created as a basis for awarding college credit other than by enrolling in college courses -Exs. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Advanced Placement program

2 preliminary ACT batteries for occupational and educational planning:

-EXPLORE program -PLAN program

ACT is designed to test academic ability in 4 areas:

-English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning -Plus optional 30 minute ACT writing test

UNIACT Interest Inventory

-Taken along with the ACT assessment, provides scores on six interest areas similar to Holland's hexagon and method of plotting interests on the accompanying World-of-Work Map -Info is sent to colleges; along with high school and student

ASSET Student Success System

-administered in nearly 400+ locations -assess students' skills with 25-minute tests -Writing Skills, Numerical Skills, and Reading Skills -Also collects info on student background/plans

Next Generation Iowa Assessments

-designed for students K-11 -measure student growth and college readiness as well as gauge instructional outcomes -aligned with Iowa Core -score reports for students & school personnel

Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE 9/10)

-designed to assess the basic skills that adults need to live and work -assess reading, math, and language scores

PLAN program

-for 10th-grade students consists of (a) four academic tests of 20 to 45 minutes each, yielding standard scores of 1 to 32 that are linked to junior/senior-year ACT Assessment scores (b) the UNIACT Interest Inventory (c) a student Needs Assessment (d) a high school grade/course information section (e) an educational/occupational plans section

Aptitude Assessment

-generally thought of as an ability to acquire a specific type of skill or knowledge - are typically used for prediction purposes

3 components of PSAT

(a) Reading, (b) Writing and Language, and (c) Math

Suggestions for School Counselors who work in settings heavily influenced by high-stakes testing legislation

(a) recognize their stakeholder role for responding to the negative impact of mandated assessment (b) continually evaluate research used to justify teaching methods and school programs, including comprehensive school counseling programs (c) advocate for students and families when teaching methods and content restrict learning or negatively impact diverse students (d) identify the negative impact of assessment and collaborate with others to address consequences.

Most commonly used national achievement test batteries: (4)

(a) the Iowa Assessments, (b) the Stanford Achievement Tests, (c) the Metropolitan Achievement Tests, and (d) the TerraNova Tests

2 major aptitude tests for higher education

1. SAT (including the PSAT) 2. ACT

ACT standard error

standard error of approximately 2 points, two thirds of the time students' true scores could be expected to fall within 2 points on either side of their obtained ACT standard scores.

ACT assessment reports results on a ___

standard score scale that ranges from 1 to 36 for each of the four academic tests and their seven subscales, along with a total composite score.

EXPLORE program

taken by eighth and ninth graders consists of four academic achievement tests along with an interest inventory, educational plans, and background information

Almost all 4 year institutions require some selective admissions policy, but it ___ greatly from school to school

varies