STAGES-OF-TEST-CONSTRUCTION-and-WRITING-A-TOS (1).pptx

test construction

1. STAGES OF TEST CONSTRUCTION ENGLISH 507 LANGUAGE TEACHING AND TESTING Prepared by: VEVIEN M. ABARRATIGUE

2. Today, many institutions and people are demanded to construct the test by themselves. Especially as a teacher, it is a must for us to know these things for an effective teaching-learning process.

3. Stage 1: PLANNING Stage 2: PREPARING Stage 3: REVIEWING Stage 4: REVISING

4. STAGE 1 PLANNING FOR THE TEST

5. The first step in constructing a test is to determine the content, the scope of the test, as well as the manner in which test items should be developed. This process is referred to as “planning a test”. STAGE 1 PLANNING FOR THE TEST

6. In the planning stage, one should determine the materials upon which test items are to be based. For example, to construct a grammar test, all grammatical elements, that could be potentially included in the test, should be listed. STAGE 1 PLANNING FOR THE TEST

7. Then, regarding the extent and importance of each element, the number of items devoted to each particular element should be determined. Finally, the form of the items, whether multiple-choice, true/false, etc., must be decided on. STAGE 1 PLANNING FOR THE TEST

8. Outline subject-matter content to be considered as the basis for the test. Identify learning outcomes to be measured by the test. Prepare table of specifications. Choose appropriate type(s) of test items for evaluation of learning outcomes as summarized in the table of specifications. STAGE 1 PLANNING FOR THE TEST

9. STAGE 2 PREPARING THE TEST

10. Preparing test items is a very delicate activity that requires a great deal of care and expertise. It is a dangerously oversimplified belief that every teacher is able to write reasonably acceptable items. STAGE 2 PREPARING THE TEST

11. Of course, informal tests, or tests of which the scores do not have determining influence upon the examinees’ career, may be even prepared by classroom teachers. However, for preparing formal tests, of which the results would be of critical significance, the experts in the field should be called upon for help. STAGE 2 PREPARING THE TEST

12. Write test items according to rules of construction for the type(s) chosen. Select the items to be included in the test according to the table of specifications. Review and edit items according to guidelines. Arrange items: decide on a.) grouping of items, b.) sequence of items within groups, c.) sequence of groupings. STAGE 2 PREPARING THE TEST

13. Prepare directions for the test; if necessary, prepare directions for individual items (e.g., matching type) or for sections (e.g., negative form of one- best responses type). Decide on method of scoring. STAGE 2 PREPARING THE TEST

14. STAGE 3 REVIEWING TEST ITEMS

15. It is a generally accepted principle that test construction is a collaborative activity. An individual, no matter how expert he may be, is potentially subject to making mistakes. STAGE 3 REVIEWING TEST ITEMS

16. Therefore, to minimize the pitfalls, test items should be reviewed by a team of experts. These experts would critically examine the correspondence between test content and the table of specifications. They would also consider the form, level of difficulty, and the appropriateness of the items. STAGE 3 REVIEWING TEST ITEMS

17. After reviewing the items, the experts would offer some subjective comments for modifications of these items. After the test developer made necessary modifications, the first draft of the test would be ready to go under the scrutiny of the pre-testing step. STAGE 3 REVIEWING TEST ITEMS

18. STAGE 4 REVISING TEST ITEMS

19. This is the step where the test items are revised before testing in the pre-testing step. In this step, the item which has already been corrected or reviewed, are re-write. So that, in this step, the test item is called as semi final form. STAGE 4 REVISING TEST ITEMS

20. WRITING TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS

21. Classroom tests provide teachers with essential information used to make decisions about instruction and student grades. A table of specification (TOS) can be used to help teachers frame the decision making process of test construction and improve the validity of teachers’ evaluations based on tests constructed for classroom use.

22. What is a Table of Specifications?

23. A TOS, sometimes called a test blueprint, is a table that helps teachers align objectives, instruction, and assessment (e.g., Notar , Zuelke , Wilson, & Yunker , 2004). This strategy can be used for a variety of assessment methods but is most commonly associated with constructing traditional summative tests.

24. When constructing a test, teachers need to be concerned that the test measures an adequate sampling of the class content at the cognitive level that the material was taught. The TOS can help teachers map the amount of class time spent on each objective with the cognitive level at which each objective was taught thereby helping teachers to identify the types of items they need to include on their tests.

25. What is the Purpose of a Table of Specifications?

26. In order to understand how to best modify a TOS to meet your needs, it is important to understand the goal of this strategy: improving validity of a teacher’s evaluations based on a given assessment.

27. How to create a Table of Specifications (TOS) in 5 Easy Steps

28. Step 1 Determine the coverage of your exam The first rule in making exams and therefore in making a document called table of specification is to make sure the coverage of your exam is something that you have satisfactorily taught in class. Select the topics that you wish to test in the exam.

29. Step 1 Determine the coverage of your exam It is possible that you will not be able to cover all these topics as it might create a test that is too long and will not be realistic for your students in the given time. So select only the most important topics.

30. Step 2 Determine your testing objectives for each topic area In this step, you will need to be familiar with bloom’s taxonomy of thinking skills. Bloom has identified the hierarchy of learning objectives, from the lower thinking skills of knowledge and comprehension to the higher thinking skills of evaluation and synthesis.

31. Step 2 Determine your testing objectives for each topic area Bloom’s Taxonomy has six categories: (starting from lower level to highest) - (1) Knowledge, (2) Comprehension, (3) Application, (4) Analysis, (5) Synthesis and (6) Evaluation

32. So for each content area that you wish to test, you will have to determine how you will test each area. Will you test simply their recall of knowledge? Or will you be testing their comprehension of the matter? Or perhaps you will be challenging them to analyze and compare and contrast something. Again, this would depend on your instructional objectives in the classroom. Did you teach them lower thinking skills or did you challenge them by making them think critically?

33. Your objectives per topic area should use very specific verbs on how you intend to test the students using the bloom’s taxonomy. For example, for the 2nd level which is Comprehension, verbs to use for the objectives would be explained or retell if it is in the context of understanding a story. For the cognitive level of analysis, verbs you can use for that taxonomy level is analyze, or show the relationships.

34. It is important that your terms of specification reflect your instructional procedures during the semester. If your coverage on a topic mostly dwelt on knowledge and comprehension of material, then you cannot test them by going up the hierarchy of bloom’s taxonomy. Thus it is crucial that you give a balanced set of objectives throughout the semester depending on the nature of your students.

35. Step 3 Determine the duration for each content area The next step in making the table of specifications is to write down how long you spent teaching a particular topic. This is important because it will determine how many points you should devote for each topic.

36. Step 3 Determine the duration for each content area Logically, the longer time you spent on teaching a material, then the more questions should be devoted for that area.

37. Step 4 Determine the Test Types for each objective Now that you have created your table of specifications for your test by aligning your objectives to Bloom’s taxonomy, it’s time to determine the test types that will accomplish your testing objectives.

38. Step 4 Determine the Test Types for each objective For example, knowledge questions can be accomplished easily through multiple choice questions or matching type exams.

39. Step 4 Determine the Test Types for each objective If you want to test evaluation or synthesis of a topic, you will want to create exam type questions or perhaps you will ask the students to create diagrams and explain their diagrams in their analysis. The important thing is that the test type should reflect your testing objective.

40. Step 5 Polish your terms of specification After your initial draft of the table of specifications, it’s time to polish it. Make sure that you have covered in your terms of specification the important topics that you wish to test. The number of items for your test should be sufficient for the time allotted for the test.

41. Step 5 Polish your terms of specification You should seek your academic coordinator and have them comment on your table of specification. They will be able to give good feedback on how you can improve or modify it.

42. The Calculations on the Table of Specifications (TOS)

43. Instructional Objectives Time Spent on Topic (minutes) Percent of class time spent on objectives Number of Test Items: 50 Lower Levels: Remembering Understanding Higher Levels: Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Identify the practicality of causal analysis in applying to problem-solution type of papers. 30 40% 20 10 MCQ 10 Short Answer Rectify the nature and process of narrating stories, whether their own or someone else’s, whether real or fiction. 15 20% 10 5 Completion Test (Identification) 5 Short Answer Apply the different techniques, strategies, or methods of defining. 30 40% 20 5 Matching Type 15 Comprehension Test TOTAL 75 100% 50  

44. Percentage of Class T ime spent on Objectives Time Spent on Objective Total Time X 100 Example: 30 75 X 100 = 40%

45. Number of Items on each Objective Percentage of Time Spent on the Objective X Total Number of Items Example: 40% x 50 = 20 items

46. Thank you for listening! GOD BLESS.