A computerized adaptive test for placement of students in postsecondary French second language courses is evaluated for unidimensionality of its three component tests: reading comprehension of a short paragraph; selection of the appropriate statement in a given situation; and a "fill-in-the-blank" section. A variety of statistical…

The manual is designed to help Peace Corps language teachers design simple evaluation procedures that will: (1) help them select appropriate classroom activities; (2) encourage students to self-monitor their progress and take responsibility for learning; and (3) give insight into student aptitudes. An introductory chapter examines the relationship…

This paper offers a scenario for how educational assessment might change in response to market forces that affect not only the future of large-scale testing but also society in general. The scenario divides into three generations distinguished by the purpose of testing, test format and content, and the extent to which testing capitalizes on new…

This paper explores the comparability of item calibrations for three types of items: (1) text only; (2) text with photographs; and (3) text plus graphics when items are presented on written tests and computerized adaptive tests. Data are from five different medical technology certification examinations administered nationwide in 1993. The Rasch…

Item specifications developed by the Arkansas Department of Education as part of the Minimum Performance Testing Program (MPT) appear in this document. Specifically, the social studies materials given to sixth-grade students on the MPT are included. The purpose of an item specification is to provide an overview of the general content and format of…

A review of the literature on the influence of testing on learning and retention reveals the need for more comprehensive research findings in this regard. This study was designed to investigate further the direct effects of tests in contrast with no tests on learning and retention in ongoing college-level classes with both the instructor and the…

This investigation evaluated performance of university students on visual and nonvisual versions of an achievement test. Two experimental designs assessed the effects and interactions between visual and nonvisual instructional modes, order of drawing test (before or after verbal/visual achievement test), and mode of drawing test (verbal cued or…

A study investigated the concurrent validity of the cloze test administered with an essay test to Korean university students. Subjects were 129 students enrolled in English-as-a-Second-Language courses in Korea. A seventh-word deleted cloze test and a descriptive essay test were administered. Analysis of results indicate a significant correlation…

This paper discusses the design and pedagogy underpinning the use of online quiz items in which students are presented with a range of questions designed to enhance understanding of complex linguistic constructions. It explores the design of different types of quiz questions from the perspective of pedagogy and cognitive demand. The particular…

Compares verbal fluency of 156 K-6 urban children (72 Hispanic, 41 Black, 43 White) using the Thematic Apperception Test and two versions of TEMAS, a new thematic apperception test using minority or nonminority characters, cultural themes, and urban backgrounds. Finds females more verbally fluent and Hispanics/Blacks more fluent on TEMAS. (MH)

Cites changes to occur on the Medical College Admissions Test to include: a reduction from six to four sections, biology and physics content-specific sections to absorb chemistry, elimination of multiple-choice questions to a problem-solving format, and the inclusion of graded essay questions. (RT)

Discusses a variety of techniques for conducting assessments of English-as-a-Second-Language literacy programs, analyzes several existing tests, and presents ideas for creating new tests. A notion is considered for assessing first language literacy with learners who know neither official language in Canada. (10 references) (Author/LB)

Argues that external cues provide affective information that influence processing strategy and, therefore, examination performance. Notes the differences in performance for two midterm examinations, identical, except that they were printed on blue and red paper. Discusses a method for appropriately adjusting scores to control for form effects.…

Multidimensional item response theory (IRT) models have been proposed for better understanding the dimensional structure of data or to define diagnostic profiles of student learning. A compensatory multidimensional two-parameter partial credit model (M-2PPC) for constructed-response items is presented that is a generalization of those proposed to…

Based on findings of previous research, this project developed, implemented, and examined the effect of instructional materials and procedures designed to eliminate the influence on test scores of the following four factors: (1) differential levels of test-taking skills on the part of students; (2) student's lack of familiarity with and consequent…