Preliminary Issues assessment principles

For students are studying English language assessment

1. Language Testing &
Assessment
Program: TEFL, MA
Session 2
Preliminary Issues 1
Instructor: F. Behzadpoor
Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University
Winter, 2022

2. Importance of testing
•
Evaluationisamajorconsiderationinanyeducationalsetting.
•
Teachershavealwayswantedtoknowhowmuchtheir
studentshavelearned.
•
Thegovernmentandprivatesectorswhichpayteachersand
employthestudentsafterwardsareinterestedinhaving
preciseinformationaboutstudents’abilities.
•
Students,teachers,administratorsandparentsallwork
towardachievingeducationalgoals.
•
Measurementandevaluationareessentialdevicestohelp
studentsandteachersandadministratorstomakesound
educationaldecisions.

3. What are different types of educational
decisions?
•
Large-scale>>>Someeducationaldecisionswillaffectalarge
numberofpeople(e.g.theentranceexamtotheuniversities)
•
Small-scale>>>Someeducationaldecisionswillaffectonlya
singleperson(e.g.shouldJohnbeplacedinanadvancedgroup?)
Agooddecision…?
Agooddecisionisdefinedasonethatisbasedonallrelevant
information.

4. What is meant by “TEST”, “Measurement” &
“Evaluation”?
Measurement
•
Theprocessofquantifyingthecharacteristicsofindividualsaccordingto
explicitproceduresandrules

Quantification:
theassigningofnumbers(wehaveanumericalvalue)

Characteristics:
ability,trait,construct,attribute
►mentalability:performanceonasetofmentaltasks(relativetodegrees
ofdifficultyandcomplexity)

Rulesandprocedures
►Replicability:nohaphazardassignmentofnumberstocharacteristicsof
individuals
►Followingthesamecriteriaandprocedures

5. What is meant by “TEST”, “Measurement” &
“Evaluation”?
•
Measurementalsoimpliesmeasuring
characteristicsbymeansotherthangiving
tests.
•
Usingobservations,ratingscalesorother
devicesthatallowustoobtaininformation
inaquantitativeformismeasurement.

6. What is meant by “TEST”, “Measurement” &
“Evaluation”?
Test
•
Thetermtestisusuallyconsideredthenarrowestofthethree
terms(i.e.,tests,measurement,andevaluation)
•
Testsrefertothepresentationofasetofquestionstobe
answered.
•
Asaresultofaperson’sanswerstoasetofquestions,we
obtainameasureoranumericalvalueofacharacteristicof
thatperson.

7. What is meant by “TEST”, “Measurement” &
“Evaluation”?
Test
•
Itisameasurementinstrumentdesignedtoelicitaspecific
sampleofanindividual’sbehavior(onetypeofmeasurement)
►Itprovidesthemeansformorecarefullyfocusingonthe
specificlanguageabilitiesthatareofinterest(supplementalto
othermethodsofmeasurement)

8. What is meant by “TEST”, “Measurement” &
“Evaluation”?
Evaluation
►systematicgatheringofinformationforthepurposeof
makingdecisions
►themorereliableandrelevanttheinformation,thebetterthe
likelihoodofmakingthecorrectdecision
►information-providingfunctionofmeasurementvs.decision-
makingfunctionofevaluation

9. What is meant by “TEST”, “Measurement” &
“Evaluation”?
•
Stufflebeametal.(1971)statedthatevaluationis“theprocess
ofdelineating,obtainingandprovidingusefulinformationfor
judgingdecisionalternatives.”
•
Evaluationisinterpretedasthedeterminationofthe
congruencebetweenperformanceandobjectives.
•
Evaluationiscategorizedasprofessionaljudgmentorasa
processthatallowsonetomakeajudgmentaboutthevalueof
ameasure.

10. Evaluation
What does “evaluation” require? Requires that we have
a goalor objectivein mind.
Note!
We never measure or evaluate people, but we measure/evaluate
characteristics or properties of people.

11. Relations Among Measurement, Test, and
Evaluation

12. How can well-made tests help
students?
First:
•
Bothtestgiversandtesttakersbenefitfromthetestresults.
•
Testingwillencouragethestudentsandwillmotivatethem
inlearningthesubjectmatter.
•
Teachersshouldprovidepositiveclassroomexperiencesfor
theirstudentsthroughgivingtests.
•
Appropriateevaluationprovidesasenseofaccomplishment
inthestudentsandalleviatestheirdissatisfactionaboutthe
educationalprogram.

13. How can well-made tests help
students?
Second:
•
Testingwillhelpthestudentspreparethemselvesandthuslearn
thematerials.
•
Repeatedpreparationswillenablestudentstomasterthelanguage.
•
Studentswillbenefitfromthetestresultsandthediscussionover
theseresults.
•
Severaltestsorquizzeswillmakestudentsbetterawareofthe
courseobjectives.
•
Theanalysisofthetestresultswillrevealthestudents’areasof
difficulty.
•
Thestudentswillhaveanopportunitytomakeupfortheir
weaknesses.