An exposition is made of a method to elicit students' comprehension of the meaning of words commonly used in science, which may be influential in determining what they learn. The method's aim is to elucidate features in students' understanding of childrens' science (that found before formal teaching of science), student science (that found after…

In light of the widespread use of competency testing, the authors consider that it is important to determine ways of developing and using competency testing to insure that it achieves its full potential. The paper, in three parts, introduces a model for the development and validation of competency tests, reviews several methods for setting…

Attitudes and attitude measurement are critical components of teaching and learning and the instructional developer should collect as much relevant data about that process as possible. It is important for instructional developers to study the attitudes of learners in order to demonstrate attitude/achievement relationships, promote attitudinal…

To obtain a test which could be used for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on teachers' attitudes toward contemporary educational issues, the Attitudes to Educational Issues instrument (AEI) was developed. Statements were written in five-choice Likert format to express attitudes toward these six educational issues: (1)…

Test evaluation summaries completed by the Center for the Study of Evaluation in 1970 and 1976 were used to determine changes in test quantity and quality among elementary-level standardized instruments. In the earlier studies, the instruments were rated in four general areas: measurement validity, examinee appropriateness, administrative…

This publication is designed to help vocational evaluators wisely select and use tests within the context of the referral questions and the individualized evaluation plan. The first of two parts contains information on why tests are used in evaluation, problems with tests, and how to select tests. Part 2 contains a review of specific tests that…

The objectives of this investigation are to develop, describe, assess, and demonstrate procedures for constructing mastery tests to minimize errors of classification and to maximize decision reliability. The guidelines are based on conditions where item exchangeability is a reasonable assumption and the test constructor can control the number of…

A PICTURE INTEREST INVENTORY FOR THE DEAF WAS CONSTRUCTED AND STANDARDIZED. THE INVENTORY CONSISTED OF 27 TRIADS OF LINE DRAWINGS REPRESENTING VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS. ITEMS WERE GROUPED INTO 10 SCALES--PERSUASIVE, CLERICAL, MECHANICAL, SCIENTIFIC, OUTDOOR, LITERARY, COMPUTATIONAL, ARTISTIC, SOCIAL SERVICE, AND DRAMATIC. SUBJECTS WERE DEAF MALES AGED…

Key findings of a pilot study of the Alaska Instructional Diagnostic System (AIDS) are summarized. The AIDS pilot test served to verify the appropriateness of the skills survey as well as the validity and reliability of the items. The AIDS testing system includes three components: (1) upper level skills surveys (grades 3-8); (2) lower level skill…

Technical considerations associated with item selection and reliability assessment are considered in relation to criterion-referenced tests constructed to provide group information. The purpose is to emphasize test building and the evaluation of test scores in program evaluation studies. It is stressed that an evaluator employ a performance or…

The Decoding Skills Test (DST) was developed to provide a detailed measurement of decoding skills which could be used in research on developmental dyslexia. Another purpose of the test is to provide a diagnostic-prescriptive instrument to be used in the evaluation of, and program planning for, children needing remedial reading. The test is…

A questionnaire survey was developed to measure the attitudes of students toward the Air Force Traffic Safety Course. Mandatory for virtually all personnel entering the Air Force, this course was taught in a standardized multimedia format at more than 140 locations . It was a 10-hour course of instruction covering environmental hazards, vehicle…

Cross-referenced to instructional objectives defined in a previous publication, (Guidelines to Mathematics, K-6), the Wisconsin Mathematics Test can be used to measure achievement gains over a given year, or to detect student strengths and weaknesses, by correlating missed items with the objectives. It is also possible to compare results on a…

The Preschool Academic Skills Test was developed from an analysis of first-grade reading and mathematics materials to identify those behaviors that were assumed to be in students' repertoires prior to first grade. The 105 items are grouped in 10 subtests: Vocabulary, Color Naming, Classification, Functional Relationships, Visual Matching, Auditory…

The feasibility of generating multiple-choice test questions by transforming sentences from prose instructional materials was examined. A computer-based algorithm was used to analyze prose subject matter and to identify high-information words. Sentences containing selected words were then transformed into multiple-choice items by four writers who…