The purpose of this study was to determine whether option weighting improved the internal consistency and intercorrelation of the subtests. The differential option-weighting scheme employed in this study is based on one devised by Guttman. The tests were first scored with Guttman-type weights and then with conventional correction-for-guessing…

This bulletin attempts to explain the use and limitations of regularly the process of selecting educational areas which should receive additional interpret adequately their meaning to parents and students. A companion publication "Understanding Testing Purposes and Interpretations for Pupil Development," also prepared by HEW, was issued in 1960. A…

This paper presents and evaluates different types of student assessment measures--including discussion-generating questions, multiple choice questions, essay questions, and authentic projects--for on-line courses. The paper asserts that assessment should mimic how students will be evaluated on the job site in the real world, meaning that they…

Factor analysis was used to determine whether computerized patient management problems had the same factor structure as multiple choice examinations and rating scales. It was determined that the factor structure was similar to the examinations but not the rating scale. (JKS)

Reports on a pilot study designed to assess the potential of computer-marked tests for allowing students to monitor their learning. Students' answers to multiple choice tests were fed into a computer that provided a full analysis of their strengths and weaknesses. Students responded favorably to the feedback. (MJP)

Presents a study that examined student knowledge of place-name geography in a Georgia school system that systematically included geography education at all grade levels. Findings indicated that these students identified correct locations more frequently than adults in any of the nine nations in the 1988 Gallup survey. Includes the test used in…

Although numerous programs have been developed for Grade Kindergarten through 12 science education, evaluation has been difficult owing to the inherent problems conducting controlled experiments in the typical classroom. Using a rigorous experimental design, we developed and tested a novel program containing a series of pharmacology modules (e.g.,…

Web-based learning has been proposed as a convenient way to provide professional development experiences. Despite quantitative evidence that online instruction is equivalent to traditional methods (Russell, 2001), the efficiency of this approach has not been extensively studied among teachers. This case report describes learning in an online…

The development and validation of a test of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) proficiency are described. The measure is a multiple-choice test based on translation of a literary text from English to Arabic and vice versa. Intended for rapid student placement, it is seen as overcoming most of the defects inherent in traditional translation tests.…

Despite the many limitations of standardized tests, schools use them to determine if children are ready for school, to group students for instruction, to diagnose learning disabilities and other handicaps, and to guide and control the curriculum and teaching methods. No test is good enough to serve as the sole or primary basis for important…

Writers of mathematics test items, especially those who write for standardized tests, are often advised to arrange the answer options in logical order, usually ascending or descending numerical order. In this study, 32 mathematics items were selected for inclusion in four experimental pretest units, each consisting of 16 items. Two versions…

This study is based on data from a state-wide assessment that included both multiple-choice and constructed-response items. The intent of the study was to see whether item types make a difference in gender results. The items on both tests were categorized according to whether they assessed procedural knowledge, concepts, problem solving, or…

Using tests to reform education is not a new concept. National and state education policies reflect confidence in the power of assessment to encourage school improvement. New understandings of the nature and context of student learning are shifting the movement away from traditional multiple-choice tests to alternative assessments. The emphasis is…

Student learning is the bottom line for nearly all efforts to establish a national test system. Major efforts in this area are summarized in this paper. The various efforts seem to move ahead independently, but some common ideas include: (1) creating a national assessment system rather than a single test; (2) developing more than multiple-choice…

An interactive videodisk (IVD) program was developed to reinforce learning of the biological concept of protein synthesis for high school students. The laser videodisc "The Living Textbook Life Science" was the source of frames, and the authoring system of G. Smith was used to create the disc. The interactive program was designed to make…