Classroom Assessment - FINAL

An approach to assessment in which a students test performance is interpreted according to how much of a defined assessment domain the student has mastered

Criterion-referenced

Which of the following is not a key step that a classroom teacher needs to take in implementing a portfolio assessment program?

Decide which students should be involved in the portfolio assessment program.

Mr. Ramirez administered an instructionally diagnostic test to his students in order to better understand how to proceed in his teaching of fractions. The diagnostic test he administered took him nearly three days to​ score, thus countering its practical usefulness. Which attribute of an instructionally diagnostic test did this test​ violate?

Ease of usage

Which of the following is not one of the five rules for rubrics outlined in Chapter​ 8?

Employ as many evaluative criteria as possible

Which of the following rules is not one that is recommended when creating a scoring rubric that will have a positive impact on classroom instruction?

Employ as many evaluative criteria as possible to judge major aspects of students' responses.

Based on the course textbook, which definition of portfolio assessment is most accurate?

An assessment approach centered on the systematic appraisal of a student's collected work samples.

Select all that are key ingredients in classroom portfolios.

Ensure students "own" their portfolios Communicate the portfolio process to parents and offer parents opportunities to review work samples Select criteria by which to evaluate portfolio work samples

Mr.​ Smith, a​ second-year mathematics teacher in a large urban high​ school, is seeking frequent reactions to his​ teacher-made tests from the other mathematics teachers in his school. He typically first secures his​ colleagues' agreement during informal​ faculty-lounge conversations, then relays copies of his tests - along with brief review forms - at several points in the school year. Although Mr. Smith simultaneously carries out systematic reviews of his own tests by employing what he regards as a​ first-rate test-appraisal rubric from his school​ district, when his own views regarding any of his​ test's items conflict with those of his​ colleagues, he always defers to the reactions of his much more experienced fellow teachers. Which option represents the most accurate statement regarding Mr.​ Smith's test-improvement​ efforts?

Even though Mr. Smith is wise in seeking the​ item-quality reactions of his​ school's other math teachers - especially because he is only in his second year of teaching - the ultimate decision about the quality of any of his test items should not be deferentially based on collegial input​ but, rather, based on Mr.​ Smith's own judgment.

Which is not a factor around which teachers should structure the evaluation of the quality of their​ instruction?

Evidence constructed exclusively from classroom observations

According to Popham, the results of efforts to employ portfolios for accountability have been promising.

False

All constructed-response items can be considered performance assessments since a student is performing a task to answer the question.

False

The smaller the size of the standard deviation, the more spread out the scores in the distribution.

False

Ms. Cooke computed some basic descriptive statistics for each of her two Algebra I classes. Her first period class had a standard deviation of 7.6. Her second period class had a standard deviation of 4.5. Which class has a greater variability in test scores and how do you​ know?

First period has a greater variability because the standard deviation of 7.6 is larger than the standard deviation of 4.5.

Which characteristic would not be considered a quality of an item that would cause the item to be instructionally​ insensitive?

Format of the item​ (binary, multiple​ choice, etc.) Length of item

Which best describes the two types of evaluation processes under which teachers are routinely​ evaluated?

Formative and summative evaluations

A​ first-year classroom​ teacher, George​ Jenkins, has just finished preparing the initial set of three classroom tests he intends to use with his​ fifth-grade students early in the school year​ (one test each in​ mathematics, language​ arts, and social​ studies). In an effort to improve those​ tests, he has​ e-mailed a draft version of the three tests to his​ mother, who provided continuing support for George while he completed his​ teacher-education coursework as well as a​ semester-long student teaching experience. He asks his mother to suggest improvements that he might make in the​ early-version tests. Which best describes​ George's effort to enhance the quality of his​ tests?

George could probably have secured better advice about his draft tests had he solicited it from his​ school's teachers and from his​ fifth-grade students before they took the tests.

The score based on the grade level and months of the school year represented by a student's test performance

Grade equivalent

Which of the following is the most often misinterpreted score-interpretation indicator used with standardized tests?

Grade-equivalent score

Given your reading of Chapter​ 8, which would you anticipate being a limitation of​ performance-based assessments?

Lengthy administration time

Which of the following is the most troublesome problem facing those educators who wish to rely heavily on the use of performance tests?

Making valid inferences about students' generalized skill-mastery

The arithmetic average of a set of scores

Mean

Measurements of Central Tendency

Mean Median Mode Scale score Raw score

The midpoint in a set of scores on the scores are ranked from lowest to highest

Median

Mr. Miller administered a test to his students following his unit on converting fractions to decimals. He concluded that his class did not respond well to his instruction due to low test scores. While this may seem like common practice on the​ surface, what piece of information is Mr. Miller missing to make an adequate determination of his​ students' response to his​ instruction?

Mr. Miller is missing pretest data.

An example of analytic scoring would be to evaluate​ _______.

the performance of each step listed on a process checklist

Which represents an accurate description of a performance​ assessment?

An approach to measuring a​ student's status based on the way the student completes a specified task.

In a normal​ distribution, approximately what percentage of test scores would fall within two standard deviations above the​ mean?

2 percent

The book outlines ___________ rules for creating a rubric.

5

Suppose a group of test scores forms a perfectly normal distribution. Approximately what percentage of test scores will fall within one standard deviation of the​ mean?

66 percent

How many evaluative criteria for performance tasks did the author provide in the chapter?

7

The author describes ________ "key ingredients" for creating a portfolio.

7

What is one way in which a performance assessment differs from a more conventional test?

A conventional test will differ from a performance assessment in the degree to which the test situation approximates the real-life situation to which inferences were made.

A rubric is a scoring guide to be employed in judging students' responses to constructed-response assessments such as a performance test. Which one of the following elements is the least necessary feature of a properly constructed rubric?

A designation of a performance standard required for skill-mastery

Which of the following is not an element typically embodied in performance tests?

A direct link to a preexisting content standard

Which of the following is an instructionally beneficial rubric?

A skill-focused rubric

Which type of instructionally diagnostic tests are most commonly found in special​ education?

Classification-focused

Anita Gonzales teaches​ middle-school English courses. At least half of her classroom tests call for students to author original compositions. Her other tests are typically composed of​ selected-response items. Anita has recently committed herself to the improvement of these​ selected-response tests, so when she distributes those tests to her​ students, she also supplies an​ item-improvement questionnaire to each student. The questionnaire asks students as they complete their tests to identify any items that they regard as​ (1) confusing,​ (2) having multiple correct​ answers, (3) having no correct​ answers, or​ (4) containing unfamiliar vocabulary terms. Students are to turn in their questionnaires along with their completed​ tests, but are given the option of turning in the questionnaires anonymously or not. Which statement most accurately portrays​ Anita's test-improvement​ procedures?

Although seeking​ students' judgments regarding her tests has much to commend​ it, Anita should have sought​ students' reactions to a test only after they had completed it - by distributing blank copies of the test along with the​ item-improvement questionnaire.

During last​ year's end-of-school evaluation​ conference, Jessica​ Jones, a​ high-school social studies​ teacher, was told by the principal that her classroom tests were​ "haphazard at​ best." Jessica now intends to systematically review each of the classroom tests she​ builds, based on her​ principal's suggestions. She intends to personally evaluate each test on the basis of​ (1) its likely contribution to a valid​ test-based inference,​ (2) the accuracy of its​ content, (3) the absence of any important content​ omissions, and​ (4) the​ test's fundamental fairness. Which option represents the best appraisal of​ Jessica's test-review​ plans?

Although the four​ test-review factors Jessica chose will help her identify certain deficiencies in her​ tests, she should also incorporate as review criteria a full range of widely endorsed​ experience-based and​ research-based (1)​ item-specific guidelines and​ (2) general​ item-writing guidelines.

The teaching staff in a suburban middle school is concerned with the quality of their​ school's teacher-made classroom assessments. This issue has arisen because the district school board has directed all schools to install a​ teacher-evaluation process featuring prominently weighted evidence of​ students' learning as measured chiefly by​ teacher-made tests. The district office requires teachers to submit all​ students' responses from each classroom assessment immediately after those assessments have been administered.​ Then, in less than 2 weeks after​ submission, teachers receive descriptive statistics for each test​ (such as​ students' means and standard​ deviations). Teachers also receive an internal consistency reliability coefficient for the total test and a p​-value and an​ item-discrimination index for each item. Teachers then must personally judge the quality of their own​ tests' items. The​ teachers' reviews of their​ test's individual items are seen as subjective by almost everyone​ involved, whereas the empirical evidence of item quality is regarded as objective. The​ school's faculty unanimously decides to weight​ teachers' own​ per-item judgments at 25 percent while weighting the statistical​ per-item p​-values and​ item-discrimination indices at 75 percent. Please select the statement that most accurately characterizes the​ test-improvement procedures in this suburban middle school.

Because the relevance of traditional​ item-quality indicators, such as those supplied by this​ school's district​ office, can vary depending on the specific use to which a​ teacher-made test will be​ put, the​ across-the-board weightings​ (25 percent​ judgmental; 75 percent​ empirical) may be inappropriate for the proposed​ teacher-evaluation process.

Consider the three statements. Which are considered characteristics of portfolio​ assessments? I. Represents the range of reading and writing students are engaged in II. Engages students in assessing their progress​ and/or accomplishments and establishing ongoing learning goals III. Mechanically scored or scored by teachers who have little input

I and II

Consider the following statements regarding test-preparation. Which one is not accurate?

If teachers simultaneously direct their instruction toward a test's specific items and the curricular aim on which the test is based, this constitutes appropriate test preparation.

Engaging in assessment improvement is a natural part of the teaching process.​ However, sometimes reviewing your​ self-created materials alone can prove problematic. Which represents a reasonable explanation of why​ self-review can be​ problematic?

If you created the​ assessment, you are prone to be biased in its favor.

Which of the following is one of the attributes of concern for an instructionally diagnostic​ test?

Length of assessment

Which of the following is not one of the five review criteria for judgmentally based improvement procedures listed in Chapter​ 11?

Item's ease of grading

Which of the following is not a common flaw when scoring performance​ assessments?

Lack of scorer familiarity with the totality of the content being assessed

Ms. Troy is the principal of Sunnyside Elementary School. In order to evaluate one of her​ first-grade teachers, Mrs.​ Stelter, Ms. Troy sits down and observes a​ 30-minute lesson. At the conclusion of the​ lesson, Ms. Troy concludes that Ms. Stelter is an impactful teacher. What is the main issue with Ms.​ Troy's evaluation​ process?

Ms. Troy has not collected any outcome data.

Which represents a disadvantage of percentile​ scores?

None of these are disadvantages of percentile scores.

A parent receives his​ child's grade equivalent score on the​ third-grade math assessment. The grade equivalent score is 5.3. The parent calls the teacher to discuss whether or not his daughter should skip the fourth grade. Which of the following pieces of advice is most​ appropriate?

None of these represent appropriate advice.

Consider the three statements. Which are considered characteristics of portfolio​ assessments? I. Assesses all students on the same dimensions. II. Addresses achievement only. III. Separates​ learning, testing, and teaching.

None of these represent characteristics of portfolio assessment.

An approach to assessment in which a student's test performance is interpreted relatively - that is, according to how the student's performance compared with that of other test takers

Norm-referenced

Which type of score would indicate a​ test-taker's standing in relation to that of a norm​ group?

Percentile score

(1) Which of the following is not a component of the​ seven-step sequence for portfolio assessment found in Chapter​ 9?

Portfolio assessment is complicated and should only be done by the teacher.

Which of the following, from a classroom teacher's perspective, is probably the most serious drawback of portfolio assessment?

Portfolio assessment's time-demands on teachers

Some performance-assessment proponents contend that genuine performance assessments must exhibit which of the following features?

Prespecified quality standards Judgemental appraisal Multiple evaluative criteria

Which represents an appropriate linear representation of the classic pretest versus posttest​ model?

Pretest --> Instruction --> Posttest

Calculated by subtracting the value of the lowest test score from the value of the highest test score

Range

Which statistic would yield information regarding the variability of a​ group's test​ scores?

Range

Which term represents the number of items that a student has answered correctly on an​ assessment?

Raw score

Portfolio outcomes

Represents a collaborative approach to assessments Represents the range of reading and writing students are engaged in Engages students in assessing their progress and/or accomplishments and establishing ongoing learning goals Measures each student's achievements, while allowing for individual differences between students Has a goal of student self-assessment Links assessment and teaching to learning

Converted raw scores to employ a new, arbitrarily chosen scale to represent a student's performance

Scale score

Scale scores are converted raw scores that use a​ new, arbitrarily chosen scale to represent levels of achievement or ability. What is one clear advantage of a scale​ score?

Scale scores allow for the comparison of several equidifficult forms of a test.

According to the text, which of the following are parts of a rubric?

Scoring scale Evaluative criteria

Which of the following is not one of the attributes of concern for an instructionally diagnostic​ test?

Simplicity of content

Performance assessments are often scored via rubric. Given the knowledge​ you've gained from this​ chapter, which type of rubric do you feel is most often​ best-suited for performance​ assessments?

Skill-focused rubrics

Mr. Miller has decided to incorporate a​ pretest/posttest design to his classroom evaluation procedures in order to gather better classroom data to guide his instruction. He created two equidifficult forms of the test he plans to​ use, divided his class in​ half, and administered one of the two forms to each half of his class. He then administered the opposite version of the test to each different half.​ So, in the​ end, each half of the class had taken both tests. What type of testing design is Mr. Miller​ following?

Split-and-switch design

Measurements of Variability

Standard deviation Range

Mr. Byron is concerned about his​ students' end of year test scores. In his​ state, student test data are compared across years. For​ example, his​ students' scores on last​ year's exam were taken into account so that this​ year, students who scored similarly last year can be compared to one another this year. The comparisons are reported in percentiles such​ as, "Addy scored as well or better than 95 percent of her peers who took this assessment and who scored at the same scale score last​ year." What type of approach to evaluation is being​ described?

Student growth percentile

Testing outcomes

Student self-assessment is not a goal Assessment process is not collaborative Addresses achievements only Mechanically scored or scored by teachers who have little input Assesses students across a limited range of reading and writing assignments that may not match what students do Separates learning, testing, and teaching Assesses all students on the same dimensions

Which of the following is not a reason that should dissuade policymakers from evaluating educational quality on the basis of students' scores on certain educational achievement tests?

Substantial gaps between minority and majority students' performance on most accountability tests will rarely be found.

(2) Which of the following is not a component of the​ seven-step sequence for portfolio assessment found in Chapter​ 9?

Teachers should autonomously decide on evaluative criteria as the content experts.

Given your reading in this​ chapter, which would you suggest are more effectively measured by​ performance-based assessments?

The ability to formulate problems

Which would be the best justification for the relatively large amount of time required to respond to many​ performance-based assessment​ tasks?

The tasks can provide students with valuable learning opportunities

Given your reading of Chapter​ 9, which would you anticipate being a major obstacle to the effective use of​ portfolios?

They are labor intensive.

Given your reading of Chapter​ 9, which would you anticipate being a common misperception of​ portfolios?

They consist of a haphazard collection of student work.

Which of the following represents a key impediment to teachers' portfolio assessment?

Time demands linked to a teacher's implementation of portfolio assessment

When considering instructionally diagnostic​ tests, at least how many strengths and weaknesses should be​ addressed?

Two

Which of the following terms is appropriate for an evaluation model that employs a​ student's prior achievement and background characteristics as statistical controls to help isolate the effects on student achievement of specific​ teachers, schools, or​ districts?

Value​ added-model

Of the following test-preparation practices, which are considered by the author to meet both guidelines. Select all that apply.

Varied-format preparation Generalized test-taking preparation

Which of the following phrases is most commonly used to describe a portfolio focused on a student's self-evaluative and ongoing improvement in the quality of work products?

Working portfolio

Because she is eager for her students to perform well on their​ 12th-grade senior mathematics tests​ (administered by the state department of​ education), Mrs. Williamson gives students answer keys for all of the​ test's selected-response items. When her students take the test in the school​ auditorium, along with all of the​ school's other​ 12th-graders, she urges them to use the answer keys​ discreetly, and only if necessary. Mrs.​ Williamson's activities constitute​ ________.

a violation of both guidelines

Mrs. Gordon makes sure she has her​ sixth-grade students practice each fall for the nationally standardized achievement tests required in the spring by the​ district's school board.​ Fortunately, she has been able to make photocopies of most of the​ test's pages during the past several​ years, so she can organize a highly relevant​ 2-week preparation unit wherein students are given actual test items to solve. At the close of the​ unit, students are supplied with a practice test on which about 60 percent of the test consists of actual items copied from the nationally standardized commercial test. Mrs. Gordon provides students with an answer key after they have taken the practice test so that they can check their answers. Mrs.​ Gordon's activities constitute​ _______.

a violation of both guidelines

Mrs.​ Jones, a​ third-grade teacher, was asked by officials of her state department of education two years ago to serve as a member of a Bias Review Committee whose task was to consider whether a set of​ not-yet-final items being prepared for the​ state's annual accountability tests contained any assessment bias that would preclude their use. Even though Mrs. Jones realized that her​ committee's item-by-item reviews would not be the only factor determining whether such underdeveloped items would actually be used on the​ state-administered accountability​ tests, she was convinced that many of the items she had reviewed would end up on those tests.​Accordingly, based on the informal notes she had taken during a​ two-day meeting of the Bias Review​ Committee, she always makes certain to give her own​ third-grade students plenty of guided and independent practice in responding to items similar to those she had reviewed. Mrs. Jones generates these practice items​ herself, always trying to make her practice items resemble the specific details of the items she reviewed. Because a new​ teacher-evaluation system in her district calls for the inclusion of state test scores of each​ teacher's students, Mrs. Jones was pleased to see that her own​ third-graders scored well on this​ year's state tests. Mrs.​ Jones's activities constitute​ ________.

a violation of both guidelines

The district where Todd Blanding teaches​ high-school chemistry stipulates that up to 100 percent of a​ teacher's student-growth​ evidence, used for teacher​ evaluations, can be based on​ before-instruction and​ after-instruction classroom assessments. Todd and the other teachers in his high school realize how important it is for their students to score well on classroom​ tests, particularly any tests being used to collect evidence of​ pre-instruction to​ post-instruction growth.​ Accordingly, each month the high​ school's staff participates in​ content-alike learning communities so they can explore together suitable​ test-preparation alternatives. Based on these monthly​ explorations, Todd has developed a​ pretest-to-posttest instructional approach whereby he never provides​ item-specific instruction for more than half of the items he intends to use for any upcoming posttest.​ (Item-specific instruction explicitly explores the nuances of a particular​ item.) Because at least half of the items on an instructional​ unit's posttest will not have been discussed in class prior to the​ posttest, Todd is confident that he can base valid interpretations about​ students' growth from their​ pretest-to-posttest performances.​ Todd's activities constitute​ __________.

a violation of both guidelines

Mr. Thompkin teaches mathematics in an urban middle school serving many students from​ lower-income families. Although Mr. Thompkin personally finds his​ district's heavy emphasis on educational testing to be​ excessive, he concedes that his students will benefit from scoring well on the many math tests he is obliged to administer during a school year. Because most of his students cannot afford to enroll in the commercial​ test-preparation programs that are available throughout his​ city, Mr. Thompkin entices a psychologist friend of his - a friend who is particularly knowledgeable about​ test-taking skills - to visit all of his courses one day during the first month of school. The psychologist explains to students not only how to take tests successfully but also how to prepare in advance for any​ high-stakes testing situations. Mr. Thompkin believes one class period per year​ that's focused on​ test-taking rather than learning mathematics is a decent​ trade-off for his students. Mr.​ Thompkin's activities constitute​ ________.

a violation of neither guideline

Mrs. Hilliard knows the reading test administered to all state eighth graders contains a set of five fairly lengthy reading​ selections, each of which is followed by about eight​ multiple-choice items dealing with such topics as​ (1) the main idea of the selection or the main idea of its constituent​ paragraphs, (2) the meaning of technical terms that can be inferred from contextual​ clues, and​ (3) the defensibility of​ post-reading inferential statements linked to the selection. Mrs. Hilliard routinely spends time in her​ eighth-grade language arts class trying to improve her​ students' reading comprehension capabilities. She has the students read passages similar to those used in the statewide​ test, then gives her students a variety of practice​ tests, including written​ multiple-choice, true-false, and oral​ short-answer tests in​ which, for​ example, individual students must state aloud what they believe to be the main idea of a specific paragraph in the passage. Mrs.​ Hilliard's activities constitute​ _________.

a violation of neither guideline

Ms. Sanchez realizes that many of her​ fourth-graders are relatively recent arrivals in the United​ States, having come from Mexico and Central America. Most of her students speak English as a second language and possess limited experience in taking the kinds of standardized tests used so frequently these days in U.S. schools.​ Accordingly, Ms. Sanchez has located a number of​ English-language standardized tests for her​ fourth-grade students, and she has photocopied segments of the tests so the introductory pages will be available to all of her students. Once every few​ weeks, Ms. Sanchez asks her​ fourth-graders to spend classroom instructional time​ trying, as she​ says, to​ "make sense" out of these tests. About 20 minutes is devoted to​ students' reading the​ tests' directions and then determining if they can understand specifically how they are to complete each of the standardized tests. She makes no copies of any items other than those used in a​ test's directions. Ms. Sanchez​ 's activities constitute​ _________.

a violation of neither guideline

Fred Phillips prepares his​ sixth-grade social studies students to do well on a​ state-administered social studies examination by having all of his students take part in practice exercises using test items similar to those found on the state examination. Fred tries to replicate the nature of the state​ examination's items without ever using exactly the same content as it is apt to appear on the examination. He weaves his​ test-preparation activities into his regular social studies instruction so cleverly that most students really​ don't know they are receiving​ examination-related preparation. Fred​ Phillips' activities constitute​ _________.

a violation of the educational defensibility guideline

Srijati is eager to have her​ fourth-grade students become better​ "close readers"—that​ is, to be better able to read written materials carefully so that they are capable​ of, as Srijati​ says, "sucking all of the meaning out of what they​ read." Because of reductions in assessment​ funds, Srijati's school district has been obliged to eliminate all​ constructed-response items assessing​ students' reading comprehension. All items measuring​ students' reading​ comprehension, therefore, must be​ selected-response types of items​ and, beyond​ that, district officials have indicated that only three specific item types will be used in​ district-developed reading tests. So that her students will perform optimally on the​ district-developed reading​ tests, Srijati provides​ "close-reading practice" based exclusively on the three​ district-approved ways for students to display their reading comprehension.​ Srijati's fourth-graders really shine when it is time to take the district reading tests. ​Srijati's activities constitute​ _______.

a violation of the educational defensibility guideline

Because there is a statewide reading comprehension test that must be passed by all​ high-school students before they receive​ state-sanctioned diplomas, Mr.​ Gillette, a​ 10th-grade English​ teacher, spends about four weeks of his regular class sessions getting students ready to pass standardized tests. He devotes one week to each of the following​ topics: (1) time management in​ examinations, (2) dealing with​ test-induced anxiety,​ (3) making calculated​ guesses, and​ (4) trying to think like the​ test's item writers. Mr.​ Gillette's students seem appreciative of his efforts. Mr.​ Gillette's activities constitute​ ________.

a violation of the professional ethics guideline

An advantage of​ performance-based assessments over achievement tests is that they can be used to evaluate​ _________.

both the process and product of a task

The gives students guided or independent practice with actual items copied from a state-developed high school graduation test that is currently being used.

current-form preparation

According to the author, which of the following are chief purposes or functions of portfolio assessments? Check all that apply

documenting student progress showcasing student accomplishments evaluation of student status

Instructionally diagnostic tests are generally designed to yield informative results regarding​ _____________________.

individual students

Links to socioeconomic status is a quality that might cause an item to be __________________________.

instructionally insensitive

To evaluate the quality of instruction, the author recommends teachers use which of the following models

pretest-posttest design split and switch design

Analytic scoring is better than holistic scoring when an educator is trying to​ _________.

provide diagnostic feedback to students

A mathematics achievement test includes addition problems formatted only in vertical columns, the teacher provides practice with addition problems formatted solely in this manner.

same-format preparation

According to the author, which type of rubric can markedly enhance a teacher's instruction?

skill-focused

A​ ______________________ is a test that is designed to yield either​ norm-referenced or​ criterion-referenced inferences and that is​ administered, scored, and interpreted in a predetermined manner.

standardized test

The author suggests focusing on three types of evaluative evidence to measure the impact of instruction. Select the three types of evidences from the examples below.

students' performances on teacher-made unit assessments evidence regarding unanticipated effects on instruction